Nobility
by Inkoholic4U
Summary: Nobility is the generosity shown by willingness to forgive injuries or overlook insults. When Serena takes in an injured wolf, she never expected that doing a kind act would unravel the life she had strived for. KibaSere. completed
1. Chapter one

Usagi will be referred to as Serena, because I wanted to use the name O'Donnell… so everyone say hello to Serena O'Donnell. :-D

Ages: Serena (21), Sam (50ish), Kiba (around 22), Rafe (40s), and Jane (30s). Characters that arrive later in the story will have their ages posted.

Sam the doorman, Rafe and Jane the couple belong to me. Any other character belongs to their respective owners.

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Chapter one:

A Dog, or A Wolf

Slipping her coat over her shoulders, Serena moved towards the door. _Maybe I'll stop at the grocery store? _Checking her things, she made sure she had everything on her. There wasn't time to come back for anything.

"Have a good evening Miss O'Donnell." the elderly doorman smiled as she reached the front door. "You too Sam," she called back to him. He held the door for her, and she slipped out into another dreary day. _Some summer this was going to be._

Serena shuffled her purse, and stack of books, as she stepped down to the sidewalk. Nodding to a passing young man, she turned right. _Its kind of cold. Maybe I'll go tomorrow to get food._

Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she glanced around her apprehensively. It was still early, but that didn't keep the thieves in their holes.

Daylight is just as dangerous as the night.

She nodded in acknowledgment to another pedestrian she passed. It was nice to know there were some nice people still out there, though.

"Jane, I think maybe you need to lie down." She hardly paid the voice any of her attention when she passed the steps leading up to a boardinghouse. "Those are only myths…" the voice continued.

"No I saw one, it was big, I tell you!" the second voice sounded almost hysterical.

The front door she passed flew open. "Jane! Jane!" A frantic male voice called out from inside.

A portly woman with a crop of black hair threw on her jacket, as she stepped out into the brisk weather. She was shuffling down the few steps, when an elderly man reached the doorway.

"Jane come back inside, its cold!" he sounded beyond worried, maybe a bit annoyed.

Serena hesitated at her spot, hovering there just passed the stairs. She was staring down at the ground in concentration. Anything that shattered the peaceful streets was news to her. Whether she was off work or not, she always found time to listen.

"No Rafe, I wont come back inside! I can't live with someone who doesn't believe anything I say." The woman had whirled on her feet, looking up at the man. It must be a reoccurring event, since no one else on the street stopped to stare.

"I saw it!" the woman shouted, "With my very own eyes. It was white, and it had yellow eyes. I know a wolf when I see one!"

A wolf?

Serena lifted her head to the couple. _Surely the woman was senile… _"It was probably just a big dog Jane. We both know wolves don't exist anymore," the older man with graying hair was trying to sound reasonable. Which he did. But Jane appeared to be unconvinced. "You'll see Rafe, I'll find it, and I'll prove it to you!"

Watching with wide curious eyes, Serena followed the young woman movements as she stalked off, going in the opposite direction Serena was heading. Above her, the door slammed, and Rafe was gone.

The scene was over, time to get on with life.

Serena started walking again. But now her mind was preoccupied. _Wolves? In the city? But even if that was true why would one come here? _This city wasn't fit for wolves, or any animals for that matter.

Hugging her arms over her chest, she hardly looked up as she walked home. _Just another two block, and then I can snuggle up under my covers._

One more block, and I can eat a hearty dish of noodles and hot cocoa. She smiled at that thought. _How that sounded good._

Looking up, she stopped suddenly. She stood at the mouth of an alleyway, which was next door to her apartment. But instead of continuing, and climbing up the steps to the front door she stood frozen in her spot.

Wh-what was that?

It sounded like breathing, heavy pants of something sleeping uneasily. _Maybe just another homeless person taking refuge in the alley, _she thought frantically.But even that didn't reassure herself this time.

Slowly she turned her head to the dark alley. It was still light out, but the tall two building cast dark shadows down the length of the alley. She saw it, just as she had when she caught sight of it from the corner of her eye.

It laid huddled near a dumpster, unaware of its surroundings. Hesitantly she stepped forward. _It was big, big I tell you!_

It was white, and it had yellow eyes.

It was definitely big, much bigger than any dog she had ever come across.

But it couldn't be a wolf right? she reasoned with herself. Wolves didn't exist in this world. It was too tainted here to hold such a beautiful creature caged in its walls.

She glanced around herself uneasily, hoping no one would see. She only had one choice to make, because any other would be too sinful to commit.

-----

Serena pushed the door to her apartment open. Grunting, she bumped into it with her hip, before walking inside. Using her foot she kicked it shut.

The burden in her arms was getting heavier and heavier by the minute.

Drawing in a sharp breath, she turned around and headed for the kitchen. She needed to hurry, if she planned to eat dinner any time soon. Setting the bags down on the counter, she let out a sigh of relief. "What a chore."

Lifting her head suddenly, she turned to look behind her. Her new companion stood in the doorway. It was favoring its back leg, but that didn't stop it from looking dangerous.

"So you're awake." she smiled despite the spike of fear she felt in her heart. This thing could easily tear her apart, that much was obvious.

Serena turned back to her groceries. "You should be lying down, that cut looked pretty deep. The bandages should hold for a day or two," she was pulling out canned food, and boxes as she talked to him.

Humming softly to herself, she moved about the kitchen, putting away the groceries she had bought at the store a few blocks away. Pulling the panty door open, she peered inside. "Hmm I'm almost out of apples, I thought I had more." She knitted her brows as she studied the nearly empty spot for a second.

Serena sighed, and shoved the door close, before turning back around. Her guest hadn't moved from its spot. And the low growls it emitted, told her it was getting upset.

Laughing nervously, she inched towards the fridge. Golden eyes followed her every move. Lips curled back into a snarl, and she could make out its sharp teeth. _No this was not an animal to play around with._

"You know…" she pulled the freezer door open and looked inside. "I bet you're hungry. That's probably why you're looking at me as if I'm the main course."

She lifted her hand and ran it through her loose hair in frustration. "Um, so what do you think?" Looking at her guest from over her shoulder, she smiled. "Pork, beef of chicken?" she asked. When she wasn't given a reply, she elaborated, "I would offer fish, but I ate the last of it the night before, sorry."

Serena peered back into the freezer. "I guess I'll take one of each. You look really hungry." She set out some steak, a chicken breast, and a package of pork chops.

"I'll warn you," she stated. "I'm still learning how to cook. I don't usually eat meat, so I don't try cooking this stuff as much. I prefer noodles, I'm a killer noodle cook!"

She laughed out loud at herself. "But since you're the guest I'll relent and give meat a try." She shrugged her shoulders lazily. "I usually under cook all my meat, when I try to make it, you know for like the holidays and stuff." Serena glanced back at her guest who stood in her kitchen doorway. "But then you probably eat it that way."

Carrying the frozen meat with her, she brought it over to the microwave. "Give me a few minutes to defrost them." Tossing the steak inside, she hit a few buttons before stabbing the start button.

The microwave clicked on, and inside the steak started to rotate as the heat kicked on. "Wow it sure is toasty in here. It usually takes forever for that heater to warm this place."

Shrugging out of her jacket, she moved to the small kitchen table and draped the coat over the back of a chair.

"Do you want some water? I don't know when you last had something to drink, so…" she looked over to find that the her guest wasn't snarling at her anymore. But his eyes were locked on her every move.

She moved to the sink, and poured some cold water into a pan. "That should do it," she exclaimed. Setting the pan down on the floor near the sink, she stared at her companion. "You may be a guest and all, but I refuse to feed you by hand. You're a grown…" Serena tilted her head slightly. "Well a grown something."

Sliding the pan forward, she kept her distance, not wanting to alarm it. When he didn't move forward, she stood, and took a step away from the water.

He sniffed the air, his snout testing the air, before he hobbled forward. "I really wish you would rest. That leg wont heal if you're walking on it." He snorted at her, making her scowl in reply.

She watched as it lapped up the water slowly, and she smiled. Turning, she moved back to the microwave. Opening the door she pulled the steak out and tossed in the pork. Setting the time, she hit start. Staring at the slab of meat, she felt her stomach rumble with hunger. She wouldn't mind having a juicy steak, herself. Even though she rarely ate meat.

"You could probably just eat it off the bone right?" she asked, glancing back at her guest. He had finished off the water, and was looking up at her. "I've never done this before, so if you can like give me hints, that would be great." She lifted a brow when he hardly even batted an eye at her.

Growling beneath her breath, she tossed the meat to the floor. "Fine, choke on it for all I care!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Its been a long day, so I'm going to go lie down." Lifting her nose into the air, she stalked past the untamed beast, and entered her living room.

Serena kicked off her shoes, and stalked out of the room, heading down the hallway. She entered her bedroom, and not bothering to shut the door, moved to her bed.

A soft sigh escaped her, as she fell back onto the mattress. _Ungrateful beast, _she mentally shouted. See if she showed any kindness to another soul again. Serena scoffed, _not if they're all like him._

"Well I'm not going to let him ruin my beauty sleep." by then, she was already drifting off. Unconsciously, she rolled over onto her side, and her eyelids began to droop. "I'll change the bandages in the morning…" she murmured, before she fell into a deep sleep.

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Well this is my first Wolf Rain crossover, and one of the few that are out there. I've been writing this story for a while now, and I've decided that it actually seems to be going somewhere, so I thought I would put it up.

This story sort of spins off from the first episode of Wolf Rain. The timeframe starts in around after Kiba breaks out of the lab, and before he decides to get captured again. There wont be any sailors in this, just a few of the characters, mainly my favorite, Serena.

I'm not sure whether to have Cheza in this or not. I might add her, but she wont be a high priority. If you want her in here, you'll have to ask for her.

I hope all of you will find this story entertaining, I loved writing it, and I enjoyed rereading it. If you wish for me to continue, then please do review. Thanks a bunch!!!

LP signing out.


	2. Chapter two

I would like to thank all of those who reviewed for the last chapter. Any questions asked will be answered in the authors note after the story

Serenity Komoshiro, Anime Moon Gurl, watergoddesskasey, koldy, SachiNyoko, kittydemon, winter, jaz7, Quinn, setsuna-3000, Machiko, Dust to Dust, Hyper Bunny16, loupgarou7, yami

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Chapter two:

Friendly Interactions

Serena woke to a strange sound. Cracking an eye open, she looked around her bedroom for the sound. It wasn't something she was used to hearing, but it wasn't foreign either.

Sitting up, she threw her legs over the side of the bed, and stood. _Where was it coming from? she asked herself, as s_he moved to the bedroom door, but hesitated on entering the hallway.

Was that a growl?

Easing out, she looked down the hall, to the living room. She could just make out the front door. It was closed, that much was obvious. But what she wanted to know was if she had locked it or not.

Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to manage to collect some of her nerves. _You can do this Serena. Its probably just a dog. _That thought sparked back the memory of yesterday. "Oh my god," she breathed, while she sagged against the wall in relief. And here she had almost thought someone might have broken in.

Shaking her head, she reached up to massage her temples. "You're losing your nerve O'Donnell" she berated herself. "Nathan raised you into one of the best journalists, and your acting like a chicken in your own home."

Serena pushed herself from the wall, and started down the short hallway. She entered the living room, and caught sight of the sound she had heard. A cross between a growl and a snore, the gorgeous creature was fast asleep on her couch. The spot she had placed him when she had brought him home.

One of these days she was going to learn that bringing animals home was a mistake. But then she had yet to follow her own advise.

With a quick shake of her head she turned from the sight, and headed back to bed. It was still early, and she had plenty of more hours to sleep before it was even remotely near the time she should get up.

Till then, she planned to dream.

----

Lifting his head from where it rested on his paws, he stared after the human. She had taken him in, gave him water, and fed him. He turned his head slightly to look behind him. His back leg was still bothering him, but the pain wasn't as bad, as when he tried to walk on it.

Snorting, he laid his head back down, resting it on his paws once more. He sniffed the air, letting the smell that lingered on the cushions assail his senses. It smelled, just as the rest of the house did.

It wasn't a bad smell, but a heavenly one that made him relax even if he wasn't willing to. His body loosened up, his tense muscles releasing, while his eyes began to droop.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to wake up. He should leave, now before she came back. He yawned, his legs stretching, and his spine arching, before he fell back into a comfortable position. He could always find time to leave tomorrow. With his mind made up, he let his eyes fall shut.

His breathing slowed into a steady rhythm, and he soon fell fast asleep.

----

"Oh no!"

His eyes snapped open at the cry. Lifting his head, he looked around the quiet living room. _Where had that sound come from?_

Pushing himself up, he leaped from the couch, taking care not to land on his back leg. With his head kept low, he stealthily made he way across the living room.

"This is all wrong!" The voice shouted again. "I knew I should have called Lita." There was a hint of a pout in the voice.

He reached the kitchen doorway, and froze at the sight. Yesterday when he had woken to find himself not in the alleyway but in some home, he had been worried. But when the owner of the place had come back, he hadn't been prepared for who he saw. She had come in carrying bags, that appeared to heavy for her small form to carry. And even though he had been careful, she had somehow sensed him there with her in the room.

At that time, the kitchen had been relatively clean, as if it was hardly used. Now, it looked as if a pack of wild dogs had gotten a hold of it.

What was she trying to do?

Smoke billowed out from a frying pan on the stove. "My bacon!" she lunged for the pan, lifting it and cried out. She threw it into the sink, before jerking back from the mess on the counter.

Sniffing the air, he caught a hint of bread, and pig, and a strong dose of smoke. He sneezed, his sensitive nose unable to stand the thick black smoke that rose up from the pan in the sink

"It's hopeless," the girl cried. She sank to the floor, sitting on her legs. She was cradling her hand to her chest as she sniffed pitifully.

He sat back, not daring to move any closer to her. He watched as she slowly turned her head, and their eyes met. There was a fine line of red, circling both of her eyes. The corner of her mouth lifted into a watery smile.

"Sorry. That was supposed to be breakfast." She motioned to the charcoal bacon, and burnt pancakes. "I always was a horrible cook. I can only cook noodles." She sighed long and hard, before looking away. "Leftovers sound good?"

Sluggishly, she picked herself up off the floor. She dragged her feet as she moved to the fridge and pulled the door open. "Here, this should be good and ready for you." She pulled out the pork she had put in that strange contraption of hers, yesterday. She tossed it to the floor halfheartedly. "I'm going back to my noodles, I'll worry about this mess later."

While keeping one eye on the girl, he sniffed at the slab of meat. It smelled delicious. Just as the chunk of cow had last night. Tearing into the food given to him, he gave up on watching the girl while he devoured the offered food.

"Umm nothing like a cup of noodles." The girl had seated herself at the table with a bowl. He had just finished off his meal, when he caught the scent of something new.

"This stuff is instant, and I can never go wrong in making it." she lifted the bowl to her lips, and sipped. He watched closely, his eyes straying to the bowl she held.

That smells wonderful. He could feel his stomach cramp from the lack of food. Even though he had just eaten he was not even close to being full. Especially since it had been a long time since he had really gotten to eat even before he had come here. The past month he had lived off scraps, and carcasses he could find.

Unconsciously he licked his lips, his nose sniffing the air. "You cant still be hungry!" she was looking at him from over the rim of her bowl. "Argh, what are you, a vacuum!" She pouted, setting the bowl down on the table. "Fine, have it!" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked the other way.

Tilting his head slightly, he studied the girl carefully. _She was offering him her food? _It wasn't a treatment he was used to, usually he had to fight for what he wanted. Standing, he hobbled forward, and with one graceful leap jumped up onto the table.

"Oh!"

He looked at the girl sharply, his body tensing. She was staring at him in surprise, her mouth slightly opened in shock.

He sniffed the air, and caught her scent. It was the one he had fallen asleep to, last night. The smell that lingered in the bed he had slept in, and everywhere else in the house.

Looking away, he directed his eyes to the bowl. It was brown in color, and smelled foreign, but good. Inching closer, he sniffed again, before lapping at the hot liquid. He decided he liked its taste, and quickly devoured the contents.

When he finished that, he lifted his head catching the girl staring at him. He almost growled in annoyance, but the look in her blue eyes stopped him. "God you're beautiful," she breathed.

He was taken aback by that statement. His eyes shifted to her hand when it moved. He watched with slight apprehension as she inched it slowly forward. His golden eyes shifted back to her face, and then back to her hand.

A growl formed at the base of his throat, and he felt his lips curl back. _What did she think she was doing? _Her hand hesitated slightly, her fingers curling into a fist before relaxing.

Even though the thought of a human touching him, let alone petting him was enough to make him want to sink his teeth into flesh, he didn't. Instead his tensed muscles relaxed as soon as her hand touched his neck. Her fingers ran down and along his side, in a soothing manner.

He had to suppress the urge to curl into her touch, and wag his tail. Instead he opted to just stand there, and ignore the urges he felt. Her other hand touched the other side of his face, running up along his muzzle. "You're so beautiful," she said again, her voice hardly above a whisper.

His eyes never left her face, as she petted him. Her fingers were gentle and soothing. His muscle seemed to loosen beneath her touch, and her scent drove his senses crazy.

"What is something like you doing in a city like this?" she asked, her hands cupping his face. "You should be free, running where there are trees, and flowers. You belong in a paradise, not this dump."

He stiffened slightly at that word. _How did she-? _Narrowing his eyes on her, he waited to see what else she would say. _Did she know where it was?_

"But I guess you're free to go wherever you like. Even to a place like this." she pulled away, her hands stopping the delightful scratching at his ears. She shoved back her seat, and slowly rose from where she had been sitting. "I'll get you some more food, and water. Then I'm going to take a shower."

----

With her feet silently padding along the floor, she left the kitchen. Moving across the living room, she started down the narrow hallway. Passing the bathroom, she slipped into her bedroom.

Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed. _Day to day life was getting quite old. There had to be more to life than this, right? _She was a damn good journalist. So then… Why would she want something more? Wasn't that good enough?

No! Her mind screamed at her. It was never going to be enough. She wanted more. No matter how many times she told everyone, or herself, that she had all she needed, it was never enough. She wanted more, much more.

She wanted her fantasy; she wanted her knight and shinning armor. She wanted her _adventure_.

Serena dropped onto her bed, and tugged her socks off. Her life was passing her by, and soon she was going to run out of time, for all the things she wanted to do with it.

"I'm still young, I still have a lot I want to do with my life." She sat there on the edge of her bed with a frown on her face. Sure this animal, who made himself comfortable in her home was a new development… but it wasn't permanent. This, he was only a temporary thing in her life.

She had gotten the job she had strived for, had gotten the kind of boss she had always wanted. She had great friends, had the best apartment. _What more could I want?_ she asked. _So much more, _maybe something to excite her boring life.

Her bedroom door creaked open. Looking up, she caught sight of her new guest. He stood boldly in her bedroom doorway as if weary to enter.

Shaking her head, a soft smile played on her face. "Well don't just stand there, come in." she offered gently to the beautiful creature.

Serena patted the mattress next to her, when he stopped close to her feet, and looked up at her. With one graceful leap, he landed stealthily on the bed. Scratching him behind the ears, like she had in the kitchen, Serena murmured, "I want a lot more out of life. And now is a good a time as any, while I'm still young." Standing, she moved to the doorway. "You go ahead and relax. I'll just take my shower."

She left her room, and slipped into the small bathroom. She first moved to the tub, and started the water. When the temp was right, she turned on the shower. Leaving the door open a bit, she began to strip.

First slipping out of her jeans and shirt, she stood before the mirror in her underwear. "I need to go shopping again." Turning one way, than another, she sighed heavily. She was not to thrilled about her hair, she didn't exactly hate it, she just wasn't used to it.

Looking away from her reflection, she slipped out of her undergarments. Moving back to the shower, she slipped inside, shutting the curtain to conceal her body. Drawing her head beneath the spray, she stood still. The heat of the water felt great against her body.

She reached up, and ran her hands against her head. Her fingers smoothed back her hair, and she lifted her head up towards the showerhead. There was no hurry. No sense of rush, to get in and out, before too much time slipped by. Time always had a way of slipping through her fingers, before she could catch up to it. Always behind, and always late.

Smirking, Serena turned her back to the soothing jets, and opened her eyes. Reaching out, she searched for the bottle of shampoo. Time once again was passing her by.

When she finished, she shut the running water, off. Reaching out into the moist bathroom, she found her towel hanging on the wall. She tugged it free, before pulling it into the shower with her. Wrapping the white cloth around her shivering form, she finally wrenched the curtain aside.

She gasped, her foot slipping on the wet tub, and she fell. Her back slammed against the wall, as her head smacked against the tile, causing stars to burst before her eyes.

Blinking, she cleared her vision, and instead of seeing a flashing light, she was seeing the bathroom's fluorescent bulbs. Not only that, but she was lying in her tub, her legs in the air, and her towel falling loose.

Serena struggled to sit up, and when she managed, she caught sight of what had startled her. "You scared me half to death!" she accused him. He sat in the bathroom, with the door hanging wide open for anyone to look inside.

"Don't you know when to give a girl some privacy! God you're worst than Nathan." She scrambled to her feet, and climbed out of the tub. "Now out! You can at least wait till I get dressed," she shouted.

Serena was startled when her guest actually did what she had told him to. He stood, and with a light limp, walked out into the hallway, and entered her bedroom, which she could see into easily from her spot. He hobbled quietly, to her bed and laid down. "I- err, thanks."

Shaking her head to clear it, she slowly shut the door, making sure it latched. _How… odd._

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All right, I lied to you guys, and I feel extremely horrible about it. I didn't mean to do it intentionally. But the fact slipped my mind. And when I realized what I had done I could not correct the mishap until I added the next chapter, which is this one.

The mistake if the time frame. This story does not spin off from the first episode. Reason being because later on, Kiba refers to Toboe, who he doesn't meet until like episode two. So, I wanted to correct my mistake. This story spins has a beginning and an end of its own.

Hopefully only once, which I know about already will this story collide with the regular show. Reason being, is because I have not seen the last four episodes of Wolf Rain, so I cant write something similar to the plot unless I do. So plan to be surprised by most of this stories twists and turns.

I hope none of you are deterred from this story because of this. I'd prefer to put this story more into my words, to help me get ready for the next Wolf Rain crossover I plan to write. But that wont come until much much later.

****

Reviews:

Serenity Komoshiro: Hmmm good question… to not give too much away, but to make your to antisipate more, I will say, yes and no… she has something, but necessarily her Senshi like powers… there is no crystal though…

Dust to Dust: Yes this is a Kiba/Serena couple… I also have a plan to write a Toboe/Serena couple, in another story.

Thank you for sticking around, and reading chapter two, and this author's apology for her untimely mistake in times. I hope you can forgive me. Thank you all.

LP


	3. Chapter three

I don't really introduce any characters in this chapter, so I am terribly sorry that I will not be posting ages as of yet.

A many thanks goes out to those who reviewed for my story. Any questions asked, are answered below in the authors note after the chapter.

Again thank you: **koneko j, dragon-wing3, Aurora, DuosBunnie, Lady Tristana Rogue, Serenity Komoshiro, Anime Moon Gurl, liza, Machiko, Kou Kepani, watergoddesskasey, Skittles the Sugar Fairy.**

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Chapter three:

Garbage and a Pizza

Serena bit her lip in apprehension as she stared down at her guest that inhabited her living room. "Okay, just hold still, and I'll be done in a jiffy," she said, trying to ease his tension. She could tell he did not want to be touched.

Ignoring the soft growls coming from him, she managed to carefully remove the old bandage. "It looks better," she admitted. "But I think I'll wrap it again just in case."

She turned from him, to look at the pile of clothes she had set next to her. Her favorite winter scarf looked like it would do the trick. "Since I'm out of gauze tape, this will have to do."

She selected the pink one, with small white bunnies. "Yes I know you're a male, I figured as much since you snuck into the bathroom." she gave him a withering look at that memory. _Pervert, _she mentally accused.

"But I'll remove it, when you decide to leave, so that you wont feel humiliated, okay." She gave him an encouraging smile. Lifting his back leg some, she began her work on wrapping his wound.

He only snapped at her once, causing her to flinch, but he never attacked her. She finished within minutes. "See all better…" she trailed off weakly. Her blood was roaring through her veins, while her heart pumped loudly in her ears. "Well I feel like watching a movie, what about you?"

She stood from where she had been kneeling, and moved to grab the remote. Switching on the TV, she made her way to her collection of old movies. "What do you think?"

Since he gave her no reply, she selected her favorite, _Old Yeller,_ and place it into the VCR.

As the movie started, she plopped down into her other couch, a plain love seat, and settled in comfortably. "This is my favorite, I'm sure you'll like it," she supplied, and then added as an afterthought. "I'll defrost that chicken after it, so you can eat. And I'll order some pizza for us to share, deal?" she looked over at him, and smiled.

He was lying comfortably on her couch, his head lying down on his paws, as he watched the movie.

It wasn't like she expected him to answer her. The thing was, she just felt happy talking to someone. Even though it was a one-on-one conversation, it felt good talking to him. She usually spent her days off, alone in her apartment watching movies by herself.

But not this time. She told herself. _This time, I have him._

_----_

He flinched when the golden dog was shot. It brought back bad memories of the old man who had chased after him many times. Instinctively, he looked down at his leg. It had been a close call this time, but then so had many other encounters.

A sound had him looking away from the TV screen, where the boy was being given a new pet. He studied the human curled up on the other bed, and sighed inwardly.

Quietly, he stood from where he laid, and sniffed the air. His leg was feeling better, which meant he could leave soon.

She had said he could. _When he was ready to leave, _she had told him. He dropped to the floor below, and silently made his way to her. She had been angry when he had walked into that room to see what she was doing. It appeared she had been bathing, for when she had come out, she had been completely wet.

Sitting down in front of the bed she laid in, he watched her closely.

He can now almost understand why Toboe had lived with humans, and why Hige had chosen to live as one of them. For the last two days, she had fed him, gave him water, and a bed to sleep in. She had also even cared for his wounds.

Gingerly, he sniffed at the air, tasting the scent that lingered with this human. He watched her sink down in the cushions, seemingly fast asleep. Her arms were wrapped around her form as she shivered from the cold.

His eyes shifted, looking at the home for any visible threats. He saw none, smelled none, and felt nothing. Trusting his instincts, he climbed up onto the bed the human laid on. Fitting there next to her, he lend her some of his warmth.

The scent of her was almost over powering his senses. Drowsily, he rested his head on his paws.

It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

----

She felt heat all around her, which was unusual since she had fallen asleep on the couch. While it took hours to heat her apartment, it barely took one to get cold again.

Cracking an eye open, she was surprised to find her face buried in something white. Something white, warm, and very soft. The corner of her mouth lifted, as she recognized the beautiful creature. He had given her his heat.

As if sensing her gaze, he lifted his head and because his back was towards her, he had to look over his shoulder to see her. "Hey." She ran her fingers through his fur, loving the feel of it. He was just so soft.

"Sleep well?" she asked him. In reply he titled his head slightly, his eyes still trained on her. Smiling, she nuzzled her face back into his fur, and breathed in deeply. "Not only are you beautiful, but you smell good too. Even for an animal…"

Her eyes were just closing, when she felt something wet slide across her cheek. Blinking herself awake, she stared at the creature in shock. _Did he just lick me, _she wondered.

She felt her cheeks warm at the thought, and they reddened even more, when he continued to just stare at her.

"Oh, I- um…" she struggled to say something, but stopped herself. Sighing, she offered, "I bet you're hungry." She climbed off the couch, and hurried from the living room. She would make the chicken, and call for pizza.

I'm growing too attached to him, she thought. She hesitated, her finger hovering over the numbers on the phone. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked at the entrance to the living room. _He'll be leaving soon, and I'll have to be able to say good-bye. _For some reason, she couldn't seem to shake off the sadness that that thought caused her.

Few minutes later, after ordering three large pizzas, and putting the chicken into the microwave to defrost, she walked back out into the living room. "Well we have forty-five minutes before we can eat," she announced to him. Tipping her head back, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I know, how about a bath!" she clapped her hands together, as if the thought was a stroke of genius.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind feeling clean, right?" she asked, her eyes finally looking at him. He did not seemed to agree with her on that one. "Oh come on, where's you're sense of adventure?"

To her chagrin he laid back down, and she had to wonder if he had actually rolled his eyes at her. "Oh fine, you're no fun." Crossing her arms over her chest, she finally relented, "then what would _you _like to do?"

Serena watched as he jumped down from the couch, and slowly made his way across the living room. Following him with her eyes, she was startled when he walked to the front door.

Sadness crept up on her, as she stared at him for a second. "Oh," she whispered, before walking after him. "So you want to leave already." Her hands formed fists at her sides, her body tensing against the ache in her chest. "Okay," she murmured, as she pulled the door open, showing the outside of her apartment, and the set of stairs that led to the street below.

"I-If that's w-what you want, I understand." She couldn't seem to get her voice to work right. It broke off in the wrong parts, and wobbled as if pressed by some kind of emotional stress.

The lithe body of her companion for the last two days padded his way outside. He stopped, and slowly turned his head to look at her.

It was another dreary day, just like the ones before it. She could hardly see the sun with all the gray clouds splashed across the sky. And the wind was a little too harsh as well.

Following him out, she gently shut the door behind her. "I really wish you would stay another day," she said sadly. "You're leg I-I think could use another day…"

Instead of leaving, like she had thought he would, he moved back to her side, so that they stood next to each other in front of her door. "But I thought…" Slowly a smile formed on her face. "You just wanted to go for a walk, huh?"

Serena gingerly scratched him around the ears. "All right then, lets go."

They descended down to the street, and followed the sidewalk. "By the time we get back, dinner should have arrived" she exclaimed, before she broke off at a run.

"Bet you cant catch me!" she called out, as she turned the corner, running with the sidewalk down a near desolate street. She heard the tall tale of padded feet thundering behind her. Looking back, she shrieked, just as he lunged. His large body knocked into hers, throwing her into a pile of trash that had been left out to be picked up by the garbage truck.

Serena burst out into a fit of giggles, even though his weight made it hard for her to breath. "All right, all right, so you're faster!" Still laughing, she tried to push him off, but when that didn't work, she shouted, "Hey, let me up!"

Grinning madly, she tried again to push him off, and yet again it didn't work.

"Stubborn… err, male!" Serena reached up, and scratched the top of his head, her fingers running through his thick white hair. "You know, I'm lying in a pile of trash, that smells rotten to the core. I'm going to need another shower, thanks to you!"

It was then he licked the side of her face, adding his saliva and breath to the banana peals in her hair, and coffee grains on her clothes. Her smile glowed, and with that, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, hugging him close.

"This has been the best two days of my life!" she admitted breathlessly. "Because I found you, my life isn't so boring anymore!"

----

They returned to her apartment, just when the delivery man showed up with their meal. She paid for the three pizzas, and carried them inside. Silently, he followed her, letting the smell of food assault his senses.

Opening a box, she breathed in deeply. "God doesn't that smell wonderful?" She looked down at him, and grinned. He sniffed the air decisively, before jumping up onto the table. Leaving him one box, she carried the others to the counter.

She grabbed herself a piece, and ate it. "I love pizza." Selecting another piece, she devoured it just as quickly as the first. "I could probably eat this whole box all by myself," she confided to him.

He was easily finishing off his own box, and it wasn't until he had eaten everything inside, before he looked up at her. He sat down on the table, with an empty pizza box in front of him. But instead of eyeing the third box, his eyes stared at the human who tasted every bite she took of her food, and squealed with delight at each mouthful.

"That was delicious," she stated. And he had to silently agree with her. He had never eaten anything quite like it before. Sure it wasn't like the fresh kill of a deer, or rabbit, but it still tasted good.

"Oh I'm a mess, look at me." she cried, while holding out her shirt to inspect the mess. He _was _looking at her. And he wasn't derailed by the sight of pudding marrying her pink shirt, or the scent of cabbage on her pants. Her hair was even decorated with orange and banana peelings.

But even with all those smells, he could still catch her scent. "Well I'm going to need another shower. How bout you, do you want to join me?"

He tilted his head to the right. She had given him the chance to leave earlier. _And I didn't take it _he thought. Instead he had chased her down the street, and tackled her into a pile of garbage.

What was becoming of him? _Did he enjoy the fact that she treated him like a pet, like a mere dog?_

A faint howl startled him from his brooding thoughts. Turning his head, he looked out the small window, and narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong," the girl asked.

The howl came again, only this time a bit louder.

Jumping from the table, he raced out of the kitchen, running into the living room. He reached the large window, and peered out through the glass.

Another howl. It wasn't all that far away either. "What was that?" he turned his head to see the human standing behind him. She was looking out the window, her eyebrows drawn together in worry.

She had just heard the cry of a wolf.

It appeared that his time to leave had finally come. As if sensing his thoughts, she looked at him, her eyes betraying what she felt. "You've got to go, don't you?"

She tried to force a smile, but he could tell it was only to hide the tears that had filled her eyes. _Why was she acting like this? _He would think, she would be happy to see him leaving. _One less mouth to feed, one less worry to think about._

Serena sighed, pulling back from him, and moved to the door. She pulled it open in the same manner she had earlier. She knew this was coming, she just hadn't been prepared enough for it.

She watched as he bounded out into the cold again, but this time didn't sit there, as if waiting for her to follow. He eyed her carefully, his golden eyes flashing in the dim lighting. He was so beautiful, she wished she could keep him forever. Locked away in her home so that only she could see him.

Instead, she said, "I'm going to miss you-" she cut herself off, feeling foolish. "I don't even have anything to call you." Reaching up, she ran her hand through her hair in frustration. She probably wouldn't ever see him again.

"Kiba."

The male voice startled her, and looking up, she was about to ask, when she stopped. It was only her and her guest for the past two days close enough to have heard her. "What?" _But who had said-_

"I said my name is Kiba."

Serena jerked back, tripping over her feet, and landed hard on her rear. "Y-you can talk!" She stared at him, her eyes wide, and her mouth gapping open.

He said nothing more, but turned, and sprinted down the stairs. And like that, he was out of her life.

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Hello readers, and writers alike. Here is the third chapter of Nobility. I hope this chapter was to your satisfaction.

I must add, before I leave you tonight, that I have lied once again. I feel like I am becoming a chronic liar, and for this I sincerely apologies.

See, in the first chapter I had mentioned the Cheza would hardly make an appearance, and that this story would take off with just only my ideas. Well to be truthful, there is one chapter, that may consist of spoilers. But I will warn you ahead of time, of when that chapter arrives. And I swear on my life only that chapter, will cross paths with the original show.

As for Cheza. Well I have finally come up with an idea for Serena's past. I had no idea what to do with her… until I remember Cheza, and came up with this grand idea. So if you dislike Cheza, as I myself am not so fond of her, I am terribly sorry. She will play a major role in this story, but only until later in the story.

Again I am terribly sorry for keeping the truth from you, and I promise never to do such a thing again. It was quite irresponsible of me.

But I do hope that you will continue to like this story. To be consistent, I plan to update every Monday, so that gives the story seven days to collect reviews. This will also give me a deadline each week, to keep ahead. So far I am no where near of being in danger of having to postpone this story.

Now I believe I will finally shut up, and answer the questioned placed in the reviews.

Reviews:

Serenity Komoshiro: Serena will be meeting the rest of the wolf gang soon…

Liza: In my opinion the series was very good…

Machiko: yes the others will appear within a few more chapters… I think two…

Watergoddesskasey: You didn't ask a question… but I have one of my own. What the heck is invader zim???

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	4. Chapter four

Welcome back to another chapter of Nobility. I would like to repeat the ages of the characters, and even some future characters. (If I forget any, please do tell me)

Ages: Serena(21), Molly (mid 20s), Nathan (mid 30s), old woman (70ish), Kiba (around 22), Tsume (around 30) Toboe (around 16), and Hige (around 22), family of three (late twenties for the adult, and about 10 for the kid).

I would like to thank all of those who reviewed for the last chapter. Any questions asked will be answered in the authors note after the chapter.

Watergoddesskasey, Lady Light, Aeden Hale, Lady Tristana Rogue, pumppunita, Machiko, Anime Moon Gurl, Prophetess of Hearts, Concrete Tenshi, Serenity Komoshiro, Tsuki no Kitsune, Quinn, Kou Kepani, Water Angel1, me, Serendy4evr

. (Any names written wrong, I am truly sorry).

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Chapter four:

It's Anything but a Vacation

Serena finished scribbling her name, and set the pen aside. With a sigh, she leaned back in her seat, and dug the heels of her hands into her eyes. Yawning lazily, she lifted her arms up over her head.

What a long morning, she thought while yawning.

Sliding her chair back, she stood from her desk. _Who was she kidding?_ Dragging a hand through her short hair, she wondered faintly _why she had gotten it cut in the first place._

Because people don't take you serious, when you wear dumplings on your head, her mind scolded her.

She sighed again, scratching her belly as she looked up at the clock. _Almost time, _she realized. Her stomach growled, forcing heat to rise in her cheeks from embarrassment. _How childish! _she chided herself.

"Hey O'Donnell!"

Half turning as she yawned, Serena blinked sleepily at the man standing in his office doorway. He waved her over, before he turned and sauntered back inside.

Groaning, she wondered _what she did wrong this time_. You would think he would have fired her by now. At least that was what she thought, but when she had asked him why he hadn't yet, he had said she was too valuable.

Ha!

Moving around the small cubicles, her and the other journalists almost lived in, she reached Mr. Ferelith's office. He was a good man, and demanded respect if you wanted it back. So when she reached his door, she rapped on it lightly before poking her head in.

"You bellowed Boss?" she chimed as she slipped on a classy smile.

When he nodded and waved her in, she entered, shutting the door behind her. The smile never faltering, she plopped down into the leather bound chair that needed patching, and crossed her jean clad legs. "What's the latest?" she asked, while her eyes scanned the office noticing its cluster. How the guy worked was beyond her.

With his charming good looks, and his reputation as one of the few eligible bachelors, Nathan Ferelith eyed his top Journalist skeptically. "You're sure in a cheery mood," he stated bluntly. A single brow rose as he waited for some smart-ass remark, but she didn't say anything. Instead her grin broadened.

Gritting his teeth Nathan asked, even though he knew he was going to regret it later. "You wont reconsider? Can't you wait a few more days at least, Serena. We could use you on this new story."

The petite twenty-one year old, still in her prime, shook her head. Her golden crown of hair flying about her face. She had just recently gotten it cut, the natural curls were draped over her shoulders, and ending near the middle of her back.

"Hey, I've waited a whole year for this Nathan. Nothing you say will talk me out of this." She crossed her arms over her chest to prove her statement. He sighed, but made a stab at it anyway, "Not even for the Pulitzer?"

Serena growled, "God dammit Nathan. Don't you do this to me! This is my vacation. Mine, don't you put the chance at Pulitzer against me." Her smoldering blue eyes darkened to a near shade of black as she glared at him. _Damn him, if he did this to her. He knew full well that getting the Pulitzer was her ideal._

Nathan held up his hands in a mock surrender. "Fine, go take your damn vacation. But I want to see you here on the first of August, 7 am sharp, you hear me?" He swiped at his chestnut brown hair, which fell loose over his broad shoulders down to his narrow waist. His long hair, and playful smirk, didn't intimidate others like he wanted, but only accented his charming demeanor.

Which wasn't too bad, she thought with a half smile.

His eyes, a dazzling deep violet stared intently at his underling. His lips twitched into an affectionate smile. "Well leave already, before my ego drops any lower."

Serena grinned, and hopped to her feet. "Thanks a bunch, Nate!" She leaned across his desk, and pecked him on the cheek before dancing away from the desk. "You're the best, boss!" She reached the door, as he called her back, "Hey O'Donnell."

Turning, still in the doorway, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Yea Boss?"

The man leaned back in his seat, his eyes intent as they stared at her. Slowly his dark brows drew together, before he stated grimly, "Be careful, all right." The blonde pointed her finger at him, mimicking a gun, "Gotcha Boss!" She then slipped out of his office, and made her way to her cubicle.

"So, how'd the meeting go with the Boss?" crooned the silky voice from the cubical across from Serena's. The blonde turned to her partner in crime, "Oh just peachy. He used the damn Pulitzer against me."

The young woman leaned further over the edge of the wall of her cubical. "The jerk," she mused, licking her lips, "So it went well then, hmm?"

Serena grinned, "Yea he took it well," she winked, before packing her papers into her briefcase.

The woman in the office space next to the blonde's clapped her hands together with delight. "Touché darling!" Her bright red hair bobbed about her face, her green eyes dancing. "So, going to tell me where you're going?"

Serena snapped the locks in place on her briefcase. "Nope," she stated bluntly. "It wouldn't be a vacation if you all knew where I'll be." She snatched her mug off her desk, and grabbed her purse, before slinging it over her shoulder. Drinking the last of her morning hot cocoa, she added, "If you need me, I have my cell. But I doubt I'll be answering it."

With a half wave, half salute, she said her goodbyes and set off on her journey. She only had two months, and hopefully it would be enough.

----

The story Nathan had wanted her on so badly, was the one that had sparked her interest to take her long needed vacation _now_. Lately, news had been traveling from city to city, of strange sightings. Dogs, large dogs that is, were running loose, and causing mayhem wherever they went.

The reminder of a large dog, brought her back to that one weekend, she had spent home with one.

How many times had she taken that one route home? And how many times had she looked down that alley in hopes of seeing him.

A rueful smile formed on her face.

"Kiba," she whispered out loud. It was the name he had given her. She knew what he was now, who he was. He was a wolf, the ones that her mother had told her stories of, when she had been just a child.

For a while, after he had left her sitting in her doorway, shocked to find that he could talk, she had believed she had made him up. But there was pure evidence in her house that he existed. And once she was sure she had met one, had actually been close to a real wolf, she started to think she would never see him again.

That thought had hurt more, than him not existing had.

But the complaints, and reports on TV, and in the paper over the next week, was what had given her renewed hope. He was out there, somewhere, and she had two whole months to look for him.

Serena sighed, leaning back in her seat. She was heading north, much as the reports had said the pack of wild dogs were headed.

The train she was taking, would take her straight to the next city, without any delayed stops. She would arrive tomorrow in the early morning, giving her enough time to find a hotel to stay in for the next couple of days.

She planned to spend days interviewing people, and asking questions, that would hopefully lead her to him.

Turning her head, she looked out the small oval window next to her seat. The scenery flew by, as the train kept to its tracks. There wasn't much to look at these days. Mostly hills, and desolate plains that stretched out for miles.

By now, the sun had already fallen behind the mountains in the far distance. The sky was painted with pink, yellow, and orange hues. Soon the moon would fill the sky, with its beauty.

Its almost a full moon, she thought silently. It was true, in a few more nights, the moon would be in its fullest form.

Serena leaned her forehead against the cool glass, staring out from the inside of her compartment. She felt like she was in a cage, just as she felt when she was in the city. Locked away, from what she was truly meant to have, or be.

A sound tore her from her troubled thoughts. At first, she thought it was a howl, much like the one she heard that day he had left her. The sound came again, and it had her lifting her head slightly.

That was a howl, she admitted. Pressing her face against the glass, she looked out at the horizon. Her eyes searched the passing hills for any sign of what she expected to see.

Just when she thought she had been just imagining the cries of a wolf, she saw them. Her breath caught, and she pressed herself further against the glass. They were several yards away from the train, running in the same direction she was heading.

Four, she thought in excitement. She could make out four bodies running north.

Drawing in a shaky breath, she felt her hands form into fists, as they beat against the side of the train. She wanted out, she wanted to go to them, and run with them.

The moon rose into sight, and the sky was suddenly black, with a dash of stars as decoration. The wolf in the lead drew to a stop, and howled. The other three followed suit, howling at the nearly full moon.

Desperate to know, she called out, even though she was sure they couldn't hear her, "Kiba!"

Whether it was her imagination or not, she was sure that the one who had been leading the pack, turned towards the train. To her disappointment, the four figures quickly became faint, vanishing behind the rolling hills, as the train rode on.

----

Around eight in the morning, Serena's train pulled to a stop at the station. Following the other passengers, she carried her luggage to the exit. A family of three descended the stairs, chatting excitedly about starting a new life in a new city.

Without a word, she followed the group out. She dropped to the platform below, still lugging her two bags with her as she went.

The station was full, with people coming and going. As soon as she was off the train, she was swept up in the crowd, being pushed towards the exit.

When she reached the street, she looked both ways in means of finding where she was. She had never left her home city before, so being here was an adventure all in itself.

"Pardon me dear," an elderly woman spoke softly, as she shuffled passed her. "Oh, sorry ma'am," Serena replied, but was to late to be heard.

Sighing, she turned right, and started walking. Hopefully she would come across a hotel, or maybe someone she could ask for directions.

At a crosswalk, she crossed with a horde of people, to the other side. When she reached the sidewalk, she parted with the group, and headed north, the same direction she had been heading earlier.

Serena looked at each building she passed, hoping to find something. She needed to find a place to drop off her things, and then a place to eat.

"Tsume, I'm starving!" a young voice whined. Serena looked ahead of her to see two men walking towards her. One looked much older than the second, but they were clearly with each other. It had been the shorter one who had spoken first.

The taller one retorted, "Stop whining. We've gone a lot longer without food." The taller one had a much deeper voice than his companion.

Serena stopped in her journey to find her a hotel, when she listened closely to the two's conversation.

"But Tsume!!!" the boy, who looked to be in his teens, stared up at the older one, with a distraught look in his brown eyes. While he had big brown eyes, he had a head full of red hair, that came down passed his chin. A few strands fell into his face when he tilted his head just a bit. He was dressed in a red shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of green cargo pants tucked into black boots.

What really caught her attention was the bracelet he wore around his wrist.

"Kid, shut up, you make me sick just looking at you. Its bad enough Hige made you come with me." The older one, looked quite upset with the way things were turning out.

It was obvious the two were hungry, and hadn't eaten for a while. Serena thought about the dinner she had had last night on the train. The thought of her being able to eat, while these two had not, made her sick to her stomach.

The older man, who had silver hair, tied back into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, and a pair of steely blue eyes hidden behind shades, was shooting the younger boy a nasty look. Unlike his companion, he was dressed in leather, with black pants, and a jacket that held slits at his shoulders. A dark gray shirt fit underneath it and he also wore a pair of black boots.

What caught her attention about him, was the large scar on his chest, that was visible just above his shirt.

Serena made up her mind as soon as the two men had started walking again. Swallowing the collecting salvia in her mouth, she had to work her mouth three times before she was able to say anything remotely like a friendly invitation. "Um excuse me…"

The two froze instantly at her voice. If she didn't no any better, she would have thought they looked ready to attack her if she made a wrong move. These two men gave her the impression of two criminals hiding their crime from the world.

"I- I couldn't help but over hear your conversation." Serena winced when she heard herself say that. She sounded like she was prying into their own business. In a hurry to rectify herself, she quickly added, "I-I was wondering if you two wanted to join me for breakfast?"

Immediately, the boy relaxed and his face broke out into an energetic smile. "Would we ever."

Serena smiled in return, "Okay, well if you could lead me to the nearest food place, I'll buy. I- um I'm new in town…" she laughed sheepishly, struggling to juggle her luggage. "I'm Serena O'Donnell." She stuffed one bag under her arm, and held out her hand to the boy.

His grin broadened, and he took her hand in his, and shook it enthusiastically. "I'm Toboe, and this is Tsume," the boy introduced himself, and then the man next to him. Tsume still looked a little weary of her, his eyes never leaving her, even when they started walking.

Throughout their time together, Serena couldn't put off the feeling that Tsume found her as a threat to himself, and to the boy.

----

Kiba rolled over onto his side as soon as he heard the sounds of footsteps.

"Wasn't that lady nice, Tsume?" he recognized Toboe's voice, and it wasn't long before the boy appeared inside the broken down warehouse.

Behind him was Tsume, who had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, and his head slightly bowed. "Yea I guess," he answered gruffly.

Kiba sniffed at the air, catching a familiar scent. Unconsciously, he looked to the scarf that was still tied around his leg, from when that human had put it on him. It had long ago lost its smell, and he was just beginning to forget, until now.

"Where have you two been?" He looked from one to the other, wondering why they smelled like that human.

Toboe was more than happy to answer. "We were starving, so we went looking for food." He danced about the broken boards, and shattered glass. "Serena offered to feed us."

Kiba frowned, and without effort stood from where he had been lying moments ago. "Who?"

"A human. She overheard the little one here complaining about how hungry he was, and bought us food." Tsume replied curtly. He sniffed at the air, in disdain, and wrinkled his nose. "The filthy human had to hug us before we left too, and managed to leave her stench all over us."

Toboe scowled at the older man, "Tsume, that's not very nice. You know she smelled good." As if to prove his point, the young boy inhaled deeply, before sighing. "Not only was she nice, but she smelled really good."

Kiba turned his back to his companions, and sniffed at the air again. Her scent lingered in the air, assaulting his senses.

The familiar smell brought back the memory of those two days he had spent with that human girl. _Serena, Toboe had called her Serena, _he thought faintly.

"Kiba are you okay?" Toboe asked, peering at him from over the older boy's shoulder. Shrugging him off, Kiba replied, "I'm going out."

He moved passed the two men, and left the warehouse, just needing to get out.

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I feel like I should warn you ahead of time. And no I am not confessing to anymore lies, since I have not found any more, thanks god.

But my time table for this story is slightly shaky. I find myself having a hard time trying to keep track of all the time that passes, and what day which events occur. So if you become utterly lost, or if I have made a horrendous mistake in my schedule, please tell me, and I will rectify said mistake. I wish to keep this story somewhat real, minus the wolves that can manipulate their forms as humans, or humans who manipulate their forms as wolves, which ever you think is true…

I also would like to clarify the date, since I neglected to say it in the story. Chapter one-Chapter three in this story started in the end of May, the weekend right before June. While chapter four takes place a week later, in early June.

Also as you can see Serena was given two months worth of vacation, something she has been putting off for years, until now… for reasons she explained in this chapter.

Again any mistakes I make will be greatly appreciated if pointed out. I'm horrible at keeping agendas, but I am trying to keep dates consistent in this story.

Thank you for reading this chapter, and this long informative author's note. Now I must appreciate my reviewers by answering their questions.

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Reviews:

Pumppunita: If you give me an idea of who you would like to appear, yea sure I'll add two or three of them into the story.

Machiko: That would be correct. I believe Kiba doesn't truly understand humans in the show, so I am trying to portray that in this story.

Anime Moon Gurl: LoL yea he never did… I guess I forgot all about the chicken… oops

Prophetess of Hearts: I plan to update this story every Monday… I neglected to last time, because I was getting ready to graduate. Some things come before this… sorry.

Concrete Tenshi: What am I going to do with Cheza? Now that is a very complex question, that I will have a hard time answering. I don't want to say anything, without giving too much away… but her existence has something to do with Serena's past… this is all I can say at the time. How can I not like Cheza? Well yea I know she's innocent, but maybe its her lack of emotion, that irks me, or maybe, how too perfect she is sometimes. I don't necessary hate her, I'm just not a fan…

Tsuki no Kitsune: Sere/Kiba action? Well I will say it will be coming soon… nothing R rated, but something sweet, I think…

Quinn: I hope you will, I really want to stay consistent with this story. If I slack, yell at me please. I would increase the length of my chapters, but that would lead to less anticipation, and longer waits in between each chapter. With shorter chapters, they come out quickly.

Me: I'd rather not. I mean if I wait a week, I have a better chance of getting more reviews for each chapter, and it also gives me more time to add more chapters to what I have already written. This way I wont get to far behind, and you guys know when to expect the next chapter.

Serendy4evr: Hey, I got your review just as I was about to update, I'm glad I check my email before putting this up. Anyway, you asked about future spoilers. I haven't seen the last four episodes of Wolf Rain. The only spoilers that I know of so far, will be in chapter nine, I believe. It crosses path with Wolf's Rain for one episode. I'm not sure of the one at this particular moment, but when I know, I'll tell you. it's a pretty important episode, and chapter nine is a pretty important chapter. I tried to tweak it to where I don't give out to much of the show… but I could only do so much. By the next chapter I should have more answers for you…

Well I believe that is it. Again thanks to those who reviewed, and who have been reviewing for each chapter. I thank you from the deepest part of my heart. You are all wonderful!

LP


	5. Chapter five

To those who reviewed for the last chapter. THANK YOU. All of you, you made my day. When I checked my email, I couldn't get rid of the smile that broke out across my face, even if I tried. I was so happy. Thank you for the comments, the questions, and demands. All of you are so wonderful. I just wish I could repay you for being so great.

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A reminder of the ages of the Characters: Serena(21), Quent (mid 50's), Kiba (around 22), Tsume (around 30) Toboe (around 16), Hige (around 22),

Thanks goes out to: **kitty demon(usagi), Kou Kepani, Skittles the Sugar Fairy, Comechatcha, Dragonpink, jaz7, Serori, Flame Dancer077, Chibi-Midnight-Sakai, pumpunita, Prophetess of Hearts, Serenity Komoshiro, x3-staRr3e-x3, Aeden Hale, Darkened Lust, Dust to Dust, Machiko, Anime Moon Gurl, Kitoky, Sere, dragon-wing3, Lady Tristana Rogue, Lady Light, me, Concrete Tenshi, GravityGoddessBlade, Jypsee (Brenda-chan, jessica.**

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Chapter five:

The Boy, and The Wolf

After settling into the hotel, Serena left her room, and walked out of the building. She stood outside on the sidewalk, looking for which way she should head.

Maybe if she was lucky, she would find Toboe, and Tsume again. They had been awfully kind to her, helping her find a hotel before they had left.

Even though they had said they were also new to the city, she had the distinct feeling that they knew their way around the place. They had easily directed her to the hotel she was staying at now, without having to back track at all.

She was sure they weren't staying there as well, since they had departed at the front doors. Now, an hour since she had last seen them, she looked in the direction they had gone. Maybe if she went that way, she would find them again.

It was worth a try, she thought. So with her mind made up, she turned right, and started walking.

She passed shops, and stores. People filled the street, either walking with her, or blocking her route. She managed not to make a fool of herself, and run into anyone. She dodged each body, squeezing her way through the masses.

Serena reached a corner in the sidewalk, and glanced around. She had three choices, and all looked just as good as the next. The light flashed green, so she crossed with a few other's, and stopped on the other side of the street. _Now where, _she asked herself.

She couldn't afford to go and get herself lost, in this strange new city. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she sighed in frustration. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through her blonde hair. _Which way, which-_

Serena had the distinct feeling that she should turn around. Shivering from a nonexistence breeze that seemed to lower the temperature around her, she crossed her arms over her chest. Hesitantly, she turned her head to look behind her.

To her knowledge there wasn't anything special there. Turning around completely, she searched her surroundings for something that might have caused the feeling she had just felt. Reaching up, she tucked her hair behind her ears, just when her eyes caught on something, _someone _actually.

It wasn't anyone she knew, that much she was sure of. He looked like any other boy on the street. A boy close to her age, maybe older.

His hair was wild, and untamed, the dark russet locks falling to his shoulders loosely. Blue eyes stared at her, as if they knew her, and yet they betrayed nothing of what he could have been feeling.

Slowly, as if she felt that moving to fast, would alert him, she dropped her hands to her sides. While she did so, she looked at the rest of him. He was tall, with a lean form. Dressed in a normal black jacket, white shirt with the buttons at the top left undone, and a pair of blue jeans, he looked like every other stranger. On his feet were a pair of simple sneakers.

He was dressed for the cold, just as she was. She had put on a pair of jeans, a pink shirt, and big white jacket that nearly swallowed her whole, before leaving her hotel room, earlier.

The boy made no move towards her, or away from her. They sort of fell out of place with the world. Everyone walked by them as if they weren't even there. No one paid them any heed.

Serena studied the boy's leg, with a frown on her face. Wrapped around his thigh, was what looked like a pink scarf. How she had missed it the first time she looked, was beyond her. But the sight of it now, made her think of the one she had given to her wolf.

Staring at the cloth more, she could almost make out the bunny imprints on it. _What on earth,_ she questioned. _It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?_

Clearing her throat, she slowly lifted her eyes back to his face. "Who are you?" she asked, mostly to herself.

This time he did take a step closer, almost giving her a sense of panic. Straightening her back, she wondered how she could feel threatened with so many people around her. It wasn't like he could attack her.

She watched him closely, her heart thundering behind her ribcage, and her chest tightening in apprehension.

The boy lifted his nose an inch, and sniffed at the air. Something she hadn't been expecting him to do. But the movement was quite familiar. In fact, when he leveled his eyes with hers again, she could almost swear she saw his image waver.

Blinking, she reached up and rubbed at her eyes. _Maybe I'm losing it,_ she thought. She was making a fool out of herself by just standing there staring at some stranger. He was probably thinking she was _weird_.

But the boy made no remark, and didn't even walk away from her. He stood there staring at her in a way that was frighteningly familiar. Hadn't she seen that look before, maybe with different features, but it surely was the same chilling stare.

Shaking her head to clear it, she muttered an apology, before she turned away. She needed room to breath. Walking away, she left the busy streets, and entered an empty parking lot. If anyone wanted to attack her, now was the time. There wasn't a soul in sight.

She could hear the distinct padding of footsteps behind her. Fear encased her, and she whipped around fast enough to nearly give herself whiplash. She gasped, unable to hide her shock to find the boy in the parking lot with her.

"Wh-what do you want?" she asked fearfully. There had to be a reason why he had stared at her like that, and then followed her into a deserted area.

The boy moved carefully and silently. With precise movements, he untied the scarf from his leg, and held it out to her.

Serena stared at the cloth he held in his hand. _No this was impossible,_ she shouted in her head. Reaching out, she only had to take two steps towards him, before she was able to take it from him. She held it in her hands, staring at the cloth with brownish orange stains, for a second longer than needed.

Bringing the scarf to her face, she breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the beautiful creature that had stayed with her for two days. Her bottom lip trembled, as she finally looked at the boy. "How did you get this?" _Had he run across the wolf who had been wearing it? Or did he know Kiba?_

He did not answer her, and she felt another impression of the wolf she had taken in. _Quiet, but watchful._

"Wolves!" came a shout from a distance.

Serena jerked her head in the direction the shout had come from. _Someone had cried out wolf…_ Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, she whispered the first thing that came to her mind. "Kiba…"

Taking action, she raced off in the direction she had come from. As she ran, her hand fisted around the scarf, holding it tightly in her grasp.

She had to jump over a fallen trash can, in order to run into the alleyway. Dodging homeless people lying on the ground, and trash that had been knocked over, she burst out from the mouth of the alley.

Sliding to a stop on the sidewalk, she jerked her head to the right, and then the left. A gun shot sounded, and for a second her heart stopped. "No!" she cried. Turning left she ran as fast, and as hard as her legs would carry her to where the sounds had come from.

Another shot shattered the silent streets, that were suddenly barren of life. Crossing the road, she had to dodge a car barreling towards her, so that it wouldn't hit her. Turning the corner of a boardinghouse, she reached the street the gun shots had come from.

Her heels slid on the sidewalk, as she came to a sudden halt. "Oh my god," she breathed. This street, unlike all the others she had been on, was not empty.

At the far end of the street, near a building with a glowing neon sign was an aged man. He was dressed in some kind of military uniform, with a heavy dull looking trench coat over it, and a hat on top of his head. The rest of him was distorted by distance, but she could clearly make out the rifle in his arms, aimed at the third person in the area.

She couldn't relate with this creature. She would say she had never seen it before, but she was sure it was one of the four wolves she had seen when she had been on the train last night.

It looked young, maybe still a pup with reddish-brown colored fur that was nearly as thick as Kiba's. He was still beautiful, with his lean face, and pointed ears. At the moment he was just standing there on the street, shaking. A familiar chime sound drew her attention to a bracelet on his front paw.

Where have I seen that before, Serena wondered to herself.

The man with the gun reloaded his weapon, with jerky movements, and then aimed again. _Surely he didn't plan to kill it, _she thought frantically.

Seeing that the man wasn't joking, and that the wolf looked frightened, and unable to flee, she took action. "NO!" Running forward, she reached the wolf in time to throw him out of the way. A shot fired, and something nicked her shoulder.

Serena cried out, while another voice let out a startled yell. Hitting the ground, she found herself landing on top of a boy. _Toboe? _Blinking rapidly, she found herself lying on her back, next to the wolf she had saved.

What was wrong with her? Looking over, she drew in a shaky breath, finding that her shirt was smeared with blood.

Tears filled her eyes, and she whimpered from the agonizing pain that shot up through her arm. The wolf next to her whined, making a keening sound that could almost rival with the sounds she was making.

Serena was suddenly distracted when something shot out from the shadows, attacking the man with the gun. Rolling her head to the right, she could make out another wolf, this one with thick gray hair.

Breathing heavily, she reached out, placing one hand firmly over the wound, and struggled to get up. "Lie still."

Serena whipped her head around, to find the same boy she had encountered on the street, and in the parking lot. He eased her back down on the pavement, and took the scarf from her clenched fist. With practiced ease he wrapped the wound in the same manner she had done to Kiba. He made sure it was tight, before he pulled back.

"Th-thank you," she said softly.

She stared up at him, her eyes holding his for a minute longer than she intended. There was a loud curse, and a yelp from a ways down. Tearing her eyes away, she saw the gray wolf come charging towards them.

Her eyes widened it alarm. But to her surprise he came to a sudden halt next to the boy. He sniffed the air, before shaking his head stubbornly. The other wolf, the one with red fur, nudged her good arm with his snout.

Serena looked over at the younger wolf, and smiled weakly at him. "I'm okay," she reassured him. She scratched him behind the ears, causing his tongue to loll out at the side of his mouth, and leaned into her touch.

She was shocked when the boy who was still knelt next to her, shoved the young wolf away from her. Looking at him, she was about to retort to his roughness, when he cut her off by asking, "Are you okay?"

Nodding, she worked herself into a seated position. "Yes, thank you." Once seated, she rolled over onto her knees, and climbed to her feet. The boy followed her example, standing next to her.

But instead of looking at her, he turned to the man who was still standing not too far away. The older man still clutched the gun with one good hand, while the other bled from a fresh wound. The two wolves next to her growled at him, and she wondered if maybe this was a reoccurring incident. "Girl!" the man shouted towards her. "Get away from there. That there, isn't a real man, and neither are those wolves. Don't trust what you see."

Serena frowned, her brows arching in questioning. _Not a real man? Was this guy serious? _Shaking her head, she was about to say something, when the man took aim. He aimed the gun at the boy, and she was sure he wouldn't hesitate to shoot as he had done before.

The boy in front of her growled, the sound startling her. Then, right before her eyes, he transformed. Gasping, she fell back, in the same manner, she had when the white wolf had spoken to her just a week prior.

Where once had been a young man, now stood a wolf. A white one, with its thick mat of hair standing up on end as it growled a warning. Serena sat on her rear, her mouth hanging open in shock. She looked from one wolf to the other, wondering if they could do the same.

Suddenly the white wolf lunged, attacking the man, before he could even get a shot off. Serena watched, as the wolf snarled and snapped, trying to get a bite on the old man. "K-Kiba…"

The gray wolf next to her, looked at her sharply, and then back at the white wolf. A look of suspicion entered his dark eyes.

Swallowing hard, she managed a little louder, "Kiba!"

The wolf leaped back, having sent the man to his knees, and his gun knocked to the floor.

He looked towards her, his golden eyes flashing in the dim light of the afternoon. She knew him, easily recognized him. Tears filled her eyes. After all this time, she had found him again.

Pushing herself to her feet, she ran to the white wolf. She had only known him for two days, had only been in his company for that long. And yet she already considered him as someone close to her heart, one she had missed more than she had truly thought. Dropping to her knees in front of him, she hugged him fiercely. "I found you," she whispered, her face buried deep in his fur.

In her arms, the body of a wolf changed to that of a man. With ease, he lifted her up into his arms, and started walking away from the old man. The two other wolves followed them, as they traveled through the city streets, at a speed that could rival that of a _wolf_.

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Serena groaned. Her arm hurt, where the bullet had sliced her shoulder blade, it throbbed in beat with her heart. But even though that spot was hot, she felt quite chilled.

She moaned again, the sound coming out more like a grunt, as her eyes opened. She was lying in a dark room. That much was obvious, as soon as her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light. The thought of being there, alone in the darkness was frightening. But not nearly as much as the fact that she couldn't remember how she got there.

Her last coherent thought was muddled as it was, but she was sure it must have been a dream. _How could she have found Kiba, already? _She couldn't have been so lucky.

A sound alerted her to the fact that she wasn't alone anymore. Soft feet padded across cement, the same floor she laid on. Shivering, she rolled her head over to look where the sound was coming from.

A pair of eyes flashed in the shadows to her right. The feet had stopped suddenly, and she could barely make out something breathing. It wasn't that far from her, but far enough that she couldn't see it.

"H-hello…" Serena eased herself up into a seated position on the floor. Using her good arm she was able to do so, but had to lean against her arm for support. "Is someone there?"

Her eyes kept in the spot she had heard the noise. She was sure she had heard it.

Suddenly a massive body emerged from the darkness, and her breath caught in her throat. Seeing him brought back a flood of memories. Ones that she had forgotten during her haze of pain, and dreams.

Maybe emotional stress had something to do with it as well. She had been shot. The rest was merely her mind's work on blocking out the pain. But that didn't answer her earlier question. _How had she gotten here?_

She didn't recognized this wolf. He had thick but short fur. His body was much bigger than the others, with more muscle on his torso and legs. There was also a collar around his thick neck, with a number on a silver plate. _23?_

"Oh hello." She smiled at the wolf, hoping beyond hope that it was friendly.

He slowly moved towards her, his head bent low. Her smile brightened, and with her good arm, she reached out. "It's okay, I wont hurt you." He came close enough, and her hand rubbed against his nose. She giggled, "Hey…"

When he came even closer, she was able to cup his face with both hands, with just a slight wince. "Well you're not such a bad guy… now are you?"

She laughed out loud when his tongue came out much like a dog, when she scratched him behind his ears. _I wonder if he can talk too, like Kiba did?_

"Hige?" a low growl hissed from the shadows. Serena jumped slightly, not expecting someone to say anything, but herself. The brown wolf pulled away from her. A pair of feet, not four clunked across the cement floor, slowly making their way towards her.

Serena looked up, as the man slipped into view. "Tsume?" she asked, when she recognized the leather clad man. Grinning, she managed to get to her feet. "How'd you find me?"

The older man raised a silver brow at her, as if she had just asked a stupid question. Looking around, she said, "I'm not quite sure how I got here myself- hey that man!"

She suddenly remembered the man who had shot her. The one who had been dressed in a large over coat, and wore a hat. "H-he shot me…" as if she needed proof, she looked over at her shoulder. "How?" she stared at the pink scarf wrapped around her arm, the pink scarf she once owned.

Kiba

But it was impossible. How could he have wrapped her shoulder. While a part of her shouted that she had seen that boy transform into a wolf, the logical part of her shouted she was hallucinating.

"I-I don't want to sound crazy but-" she was interrupted by a voice shouting, "Hige, we're back!"

Suddenly Toboe came into view, and slid to a stop when he saw her. "You woke up," the smile on his face was refreshing to see, even if it was nervous looking.

Before she could say anything to him, another set of footsteps entered the room. Faintly she wondered, _just how many were there?_

As soon as he came into her view, where the darkness didn't cover him completely, she recognized him. Her stomach did a little flip, before bomb diving to her toes. She didn't know him personally, but she _knew _him.

But, her mind countered. _How could it be possible. People did not just change into wolves. It just didn't happen… right?_

He was staring at her in a way she would forever recognize. How could she not? The look was the same her guest had given her for two whole days, without changing once. Even though the boy lacked the white fur, and golden eyes, his stare, his poster screamed who he really was.

Struggling to compose herself, she cleared her throat roughly. "Um… hi."

He nodded in return, and the movement brought a sad smile to her face. _What had she been thinking when she decided to go after him? _Trying again, she said, "thank you, for um, helping me."

Again he didn't say anything, but nodded. Tears flooded her eyes, before she could stop them. _Stupid, stupid, _her mind shouted. She had made a mistake coming after him. _Why did I want to chase after a wolf anyway?_

"I guess I'll go home, then. Again thank you, it was um… nice meeting you, and seeing you two again," she whispered softly, unable to lift her voice for fear it might tremble. Keeping her head bent low, and her eyes on the floor, she stared in the direction the boys had come from. _Surely this was the exit… right?_

"You're leaving already Serena?" Toboe asked, when she had shuffled passed him. What did she say to that? That she didn't feel like she was wanted there. With Tsume glaring at her, and the other boy who she had yet to admit might be Kiba was staring at her with a hint of amusement. As if she was something humorous.

"Yes, I think I will. Again thank you." _God I sound like a broken record. _Deciding that she had already over stayed her welcome, she promptly entered the shadows of the building, and made her way to what she hoped, was the exit.

With her arms stretched out in front of her, she searched around for just a graze of something solid. As soon as her hand touched something cold, she went on the hunt for a door. It didn't take all that long, since it was just a few feet off from where she had ended up. Maybe her sense of direction wasn't all that bad…

Pulling the door open, she was started by the horrible sound it made. How had they gotten inside, without her knowing? The door's hinges had the same scream, that of a dying banshee.

Staring at the door in wonder, as she stepped out into the cold night, she couldn't get over the fact that she was missing something. She knew no one had been in the building when she first woke. She had a wonderful knack at knowing when she wasn't alone. So how had they gotten inside, without her hearing such a ruckus?

Surely she hadn't been that dazed? Clearly she still was, if that was the case. For when she turned around, she jumped about a mile in the air. Staring at the person who had practically materialized in front of her, she clutched the front of her shirt as if it could keep her heart from bursting. Panting from the shock of her life, she accused, "What is wrong with you!"

But even though she felt mad, frightened, and a little worried, she couldn't help but notice how good he looked standing there. Sure she hardly knew him, but that didn't stop her from noticing him.

Narrowing her eyes on him, she hissed, "are you following me?" Which she couldn't pin on him. Since he was standing in front of her, not behind her. But he had followed her into that parking lot, and then to that wolf's rescue. _And even now…_

Taking a tentative step back, she bumped into someone. Looking behind her, she blinked. _Who the hell was this?_

She couldn't say she recognized him. But she was sure if she had, she wouldn't have been able to forget him.

He was dressed in loose fitting clothes, an orange jacket, and a pair of grayish blue pants that hardly fit him. His hair, which was a light shade of brown, was loose around his face, but not long like the other's she had recently met.

But what mostly caught her eye, was the collar he was fiddling with around his neck.

23?

Staring into his brown eyes, she tried to come up with a logical explanation for this. But before she could do that, the boy spoke, "well I guess I'll be heading out with Toboe and Tsume. You two, err take care." He winked in her direction as he started off into the night. He paused a little ways away. "Oh yea, nice meeting you too lady!" he called, before running off, with what she realized were two wolves at his heels.

Feeling faint, she looked around blindly for a place to sit. This was not happening to her. She was a journalist, she believed in logic, in fact, in things that existed. _But this… this was… _she tried to explain it to herself, but came up with nothing.

"I'm dreaming right? I mean I never left my apartment," she started. "I mean hell maybe I fell asleep at work, and haven't even left for my vacation." She nodded her head, as if that was the answer. She had to be dreaming.

But then why did her arm still hurt, and why did the boy in front of her stare at her, with that look of amusement in his dark eyes. As if he knew something she didn't. Which at this point wouldn't surprise her.

"Are you all right?" the boy asked her, bringing her out of her troubled thoughts. Staring at him for a long minute, she decided to reply, "I hope so."

He nodded stiffly as he said, "Why don't you come back inside." He motioned with one hand to the entrance of the warehouse.

Serena looked back at it. "I think I'll just go to my hotel. I have a room rented there," she said, her intent to leave. But before she could move, the boy stepped up to her, blocking her view with his body. "I, um-" she stammered. _What was he doing?_

Then to her amazement, he sniffed at the air, the movement catching her attention. Frowning, she sniffed as well, wondering if maybe she smelled or something.

But instead she caught his scent. And it wasn't a new smell either, she knew it from somewhere. "Come back inside," he said, his voice giving no hint if whether he was offering or ordering.

Smiling almost lazily up at him, she let him steer her back inside.

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I made a horrid mistake, that I must correct. Even though I liked my description of him better, it isn't the truth. Tsume does not have steely blue eyes, they are more of an amber shade. Pardon for my lack of research. I will make sure that in the future this will not happen again.

Is there anything else I should add? Oh yes, hang in there, things will heat up pretty quick, and pretty fast from here on out I believe. If I lose you, just say so, I don't have a problem with explaining my wild and untamed ideas. :D

Well that is all. Here are the answers to questions asked.

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Reviews:

Pumpunita: Well I decided to use your idea. I used three of the four you selected, and added one of my own choices. This chapter wont be for a while… but the whole alley thing happens, and I think you'll like what conspires from it.****

Machiko: wish I could tell you straightforward, but you'll see what I have in mind soon enough.

Kitoky: Nope I don't think I ever had her say her name aloud. Which I'm sort of glad, because I think it helped develop this last chapter nicely…and I think this chapter explained what happened when he went out

Me: Well she's definitely different, and I will congratulate myself in being unique. From what I have seen not one of the crossovers with Wolf's Rain has ever used this (like two of them).****

Concrete Tenshi: for your first question, well I think this chapter explained what he was up to… She does??? Crap, I think I'll have to rewatch the episodes with Cheza in it. She hardly ever talked, so when she did I never really paid that close attention… as for this whole Monday thing, I don't know if I'll be able to do it. The anticipation of updating is killing me…

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Recomondations:

All of you must go read Concrete Tenshi's Wolf's Rain/Sailor Moon crossover. It's really great!

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I have many twists and turns that this story will take so I hope all of you will enjoy the ride. We still have two whole months to go… c(-;

LP


	6. Chapter six

Welcome all of you to chapter six of Nobility. I loved all the reviews, they were wonderful! Truly inspirational! I'm writing again after a week of not. Horrible, horrible things have been happening to me these past two weeks. So reading these reviews have lifted my mood, and I'm ALL better.

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Ages: Robert Pitario (49), Fred Sadler (37), Serena (21), Kiba (22), Tsume (28) Toboe (16), Hige (22), Molly (25), Nathan (32).

Those should be the exact ages I want them to be at, for this story.

Thanks to all of you! **Lady Light, Serenity Komoshiro, Kitoky, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, pumpunita, Eo, me, jammincat9, Aeden Hale, Black Lion, Kou Kepani, lakitsune, kittydemon(usagi), Flame Dancer077, JoWashington, Concrete Tenshi, Hacen, Sere, kairinu, Ryui and Gokuru-chan, Water Angel1, Machiko, Rayne StarDust, keika bee.**

Recommendations: Want to read more Wolf's Rain, check out Concrete Tenshi's story, Moonlight Paradise.

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Chapter six:

Kidnapped

Serena woke to find herself quite warm and content. Opening her eyes, she found that she was still in the warehouse, but it was lit with a light glow from the sun outside. But when she rolled over onto her back, she was startled to feel four bodies snuggle closer to her. Blinking, she stared up at the ceiling, with a slight frown on her face. _What on earth?_

Sitting up, she caught her breath, and held it by snapping her mouth shut to bite off a scream. She was surrounded by four wolves! All of the ones she had met last night at one time or another, and they all appeared to be sleeping. And not only that, but a few feet away, laid her luggage. The ones she had put in her hotel before she had decided to go out, and wander the city streets. _How had they gotten there,_ she wondered.

Standing, she inched her way over the sleeping red haired wolf, to reach her bags. She dropped down in front of them. They were hers, that she was sure of.

Serena looked back over at the wolves, who, she realized were starting to wake. What else she realized, made her feel slightly faint. One wolf had a scar on his chest, while another wore a ring of bracelets around its paw, and while another wore a black collar around its neck. The only one who she couldn't link to the boys she had met yesterday, was the white one.

But it was obvious now, who he really was. "Oh my god."

Toboe lifted his head from where it had laid, to look at her. She could tell he was troubled, even with a wolfish face. Tsume climbed to his feet, and stretched, before sitting down.

Hige, as Toboe had called him last night, yawned loudly, but hardly moved any more than that.

Kiba, the white wolf stood, and he delicately sniffed the air, before looking towards her. _Why did he always do that? _she wondered with a small amount of fear. And he wasn't the only one. The others did it as well, but not as obviously as he did it.

Exhaling suddenly, since her lungs had started to complain, she looked back at her things. "Um, why is my stuff here- no, how did it get here?" she asked, her voice sounding strained.

Suddenly the gray wolf with the large scar on his chest transformed before her eyes, into the leather clad man from yesterday. The one she had taken out to breakfast.

"Oh god, I did not just see that happen," she groaned. Rubbing at her eyes she looked over at him again, and groaned aloud. She _had _seen him do it!

"We brought them Serena," said the red wolf. She was so shocked to actually hear it talk, that she fell back on her rear from the sound of his voice. _Coming from a wolf no less! _And then before her eyes, the wolf changed into that of a grinning boy.

It was Tsume who spoke next, "We brought them over last night."

"Why?" she asked out loud.

Kiba who had remained silent till then, finally joined the conversation, "Because from now on you will have to come with us."

"Come with you," she echoed softly, before the words dawned on her. Jumping to her feet, she looked at the two humans, and the two wolves. "I do not have to come with you!" Shooting Kiba a look, she added, "I have work, I have an apartment to take care of. Who do think-" she never finished, since Kiba had lunged at her.

In mid jump he changed into his human form, just in time to pin her to the ground. Crying out, she wrestled against him, even though he easily fought off her blows. "Let me go!" she shouted.

Eyes wide with fear, she tried to beat at him, kick at him, and scream loud enough for someone to hear her.

"Woman shut up!" Tsume barked out after another one of her screams. Actually it was more like a snarl, which did succeed in shutting her up.

Looking from him, to the face that was close to hers, she ceased her struggles. "You know to much about us that we cant let you go," he said, his blue eyes staring hard at her.

"I know to much," she echoed faintly, her voice hoarse from her screams. "B-but, I wont say anything, I never did after you left!"

This caught the other's attention. But he seemed to hardly notice. "But you came after us," he almost sounded hateful when he said it, which only proved her thoughts last night. He was not happy to see her.

Looking away from him, she was unable to meet his eyes, since hers had begun to fill with tears. "I just wanted to see if you were okay," she said. "I mean, I had no idea, with all the stories running around the city, I didn't know what to think." _Which was only partly the truth._

Suddenly Hige who had remained silent, chose that moment to speak up. "I think its time to make our leave. Someone must have heard her scream."

Kiba nodded, and pulled himself from her. He looked to the others, and listened for a full minute. "Fine, leave the bags, there's no time," he ordered. Then he looked down at her, waiting for her to get up on her own.

"You can't leave my things, not unless you plan to leave me as well," she said hotly. The corner of his mouth lifted, but he said nothing.

Reaching out, he took hold of her good arm and pulled her to her feet. Without her consent, he wrapped one arm around her back, and the other scooped her right off her feet.

The others then leaped into the air, easily jumping to the beams overhead. She stared wide eyed at them as they easily, and silently made their way to the shattered window near the roof.

Kiba bent his knees, and his arms tightened on her, before he propelled himself up into the air. With a yelp, she threw her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling.

They easily made it outside, and slowly lowered to the ground below. Still clutching onto him tightly, she let him carry her away from her belongings, and away from civilization.

----

Serena cursed her luck for the fifth time that hour. What had she been thinking when she had up and left her life to search for something so meaningless? To fight off the chill that racked her form, she wrapped her arms around herself.

She was being kidnapped, held hostage, whatever you wanted to call it. They had taken her from the warehouse leaving everything she owned to whoever found it. All she had was her wallet, which she had been smart enough to slip into the back pocket of her pants the other day.

Sniffling, she glanced around as the wind tossed her hair up off her neck. They were in the middle of nowhere, heading North she believed. But then her sense of direction had never been exceptional.

She knew she was falling behind, but she didn't care all that much. It was their fault she was out here in the first place. _I'm cold, I'm tired and I'm hungry, _she whined silently to herself. But none of her complaining did her any good. _They'll probably eat me if I give up._

Serena shuddered at that last thought.

When an arm slipped around her shoulders, she gasped, her body jerking away. With her last alarming thought, the sudden closeness of one of _them_, scared the hell out of her.

Looking up, she saw Hige staring at her with confused reddish brown eyes. In fact, as she stood there looking at him, she realized that his eyes were more red than brown. His shaggy brown hair masked the true color of his eyes. Until now. "Sorry, you scared me" she felt the need to explain her actions. Even though it was obvious that he had startled her.

He smiled ruefully, his hand moving to scratch the back of his neck as if he was nervous. "Oh sorry about that." He looked ahead, and she followed his gaze. The others were still walking.

Reluctantly she started moving again, even though her whole body screamed for rest. Hige kept close, not touching, but close enough that she could feel his warmth. It wasn't until a few minutes had passed, that she realized he was blocking the wind for her.

"Thank you." she ducked her head, her arms dropping from where they had been crossed over her chest. "I'm Serena O'Donnell," she introduced herself. The older boy grinned, "Hige, but I bet you already knew that."

Serena returned his smiled, "Kind of." She stuffed her hands into her pockets, her head looking up to see what lay ahead of them. She saw three young men, as they pushed on, walking with the wind, and against it. They stumbled over the uneven ground, but purged on ahead, nothing stopping them.

"How did you meet Kiba," she said after a moment of silence. Something she hated dearly. The older boy glanced ahead, his eyes studying the boy who was leading them in some direction. "I found him at a lab. He had been hurt, and I helped him escape."

"A lab," she questioned, her eyes studying the boy thoughtfully. "That was very kind of you."

Hige shrugged, his smile rueful. "What about you," he asked. "How did you meet Kiba?" Serena slid him a sly look, her eyes twinkling. "Well," she started. "He was hurt, so I took him home." Hige gave her a dubious look, as if he didn't believe her.

"Its true. I found him unconscious in an alleyway next to my apartment." Serena tilted her head back so that she looked up at the darkening sky. "I thought he was a dog at the time," her smile was apologetic. "I'm always bringing animals home though. So Kiba wasn't any different."

Her arms crossed over her chest, more out of habit than from the cold. "He sure was ornery," she admitted. "And very suspicious."

Hige laughed, "yea that's good old Kiba for you."

"You really took care of Kiba, Serena?" Toboe had decided to join their group near the back finally. "He didn't try to hurt you, did he?" he asked, his eyes flickering from Kiba, to her.

Serena shook her head. "No," she replied. "Only once did he come close to trying to bite me. But that was because I was changing his bandage." Toboe nodded. "That's good," he said, sounding relieved.

"And a surprise," Hige added. "He wasn't to keen on me when we first met." His dark eyes shifted to her thoughtfully. "Must be you're smell."

Serena snorted in disdain. "I beg your pardon?"

Toboe laughed out loud. "He doesn't mean it like that Serena," he tried to explain. "You have a certain smell, something much different than most humans."

Serena looked from one boy to the other. "Is that why you guys keep sniffing around me?" Both laughed with embarrassment, and the sound attracted the two in front. "I hope it isn't a bad smell."

Hige shook his head. "No, not at all." he sniffed loudly, his eyes closing for a second. "Actually its quite alluring."

Her cheeks burned, despite the coldness she felt. "Really…" Her arms tightened around her form as if a chill that ran much deeper than along her skin, racked her body. "Is that why I'm being forced to go with you guys. Because I smell good?" She almost wished she had rolled around in the trash before leaving her hotel room.

Hige shook his head slowly. "That might be a part of it. But Kiba was right. You're the only one who knows who we really are." Serena felt her shoulders slump. "Oh," she whispered. That information didn't sound all that great.

They had just climbed a rather steep hill, when Serena realized Tsume had slowed his usual fast pace. He was looking at his feet, as if timing each step.

A small smile tugged at her lips, even though she felt slightly depressed about her situation. "How are you Tsume," she asked. He looked a little lonely walking by himself.

The silver haired man halted his steps to wait for them to catch up. When they did, he resumed walking, and took his place between her and Toboe. "you're holding us up," he said gruffly.

Serena shrugged, "well you guys did drag me along in the first place. So don't blame me."

A smirk formed on the older man's face. Something she hadn't seen before. "Do I see a faint impression of amusement on your face Tsume? Should I fall now, and make a total fool out of myself, just so that I could see you laugh?" she inquired.

Tsume chuckled softly, "maybe, I think we could use some amusement to lighten up this journey."

Serena laughed, "all right then." She made a motion to look around, "let see, where would be-" Suddenly Kiba appeared before her. "We'll rest for the night. There's shelter about a mile to the east. We'll rest there."

The others nodded, their eyes moving to look in the direction he had indicated. Kiba hardly paid the others any attention. Taking Serena into his arms, he started off at a run towards the shelter, leaving the others to choose to follow or not.

----

Molly Gem looked up when two shadows covered her work space. She studied the two tall men dressed in business suits, trench coats, and hats. The taller of the two reached inside his jacket, and pulled out a wallet.

She licked her lips nervously, as her dark green eyes studied the leather. She knew what that was. Being in this business, she had seen it enough times to recognize it on sight.

The taller man, who she dubbed as _Dick_, since he looked like one, was the one to pull his out. His features were stern, his hair cut precisely, unlike his partner. The shorter guy, which was by two inches, wasn't even looking at her. His black eyes were looking around the office space, taking in the cubicles.

Dick, flipped open his badge to show her his ID. _Robert Pitario? Close enough. _"How can I help you…" she looked at the badge again, before adding, "Detective?"

The older man flipped his badge close, and replaced it within his coat. "We would like to have a few words with your boss," he said smoothly.

Molly leaned back in her chair. "Is that so," she questioned. Her eyes flickered over to Nathan Ferelith's office. With a bored expression on her face, she reached over for the phone. "You might want to check to see if he wants to have _a few words _with you."

Cradling the phone over her left ear, she took out a pen. After a few seconds, she greeted, "Good Morning Mr. Copper." Lacing her voice with charm and sugar sweetness, she purged on. "I'm Molly Gem from-"

Robert Pitario sighed. "Come on Fred," he ordered. The two officers left the journalist's cubicle, and made their way to the door with the name Ferelith printed on it

Reaching up, he rapped his knuckles against the wood a few times. "Come on in Detective Pitario," a deep voice called from inside. Robert scowled, his eyes sliding over to the red haired woman typing at her computer.

He opened the door, and he and his partner entered the spacious working place.

Nathan smiled when he looked up from his pile of papers. "Come in, come in. Please sit," he encouraged. His hand swept over the two chairs.

Fred nodded gratefully, and sat down in the leather chair that needed patching. Robert chose to stand. "I'm Detective Robert Pitario, and this is my partner Fred Sadler." he explained, as he pulled out his badge and showed it to the younger man. "I'm here because of one of your Journalists." His brown eyes glanced over at Fred expectantly.

Wiping his hands on his slacks, the younger man cleared his throat. "Mr. Ferelith when was the last time you saw Ms. O'Donnell?" he asked the man sitting across from him.

Nathan leaned back in his chair somewhat. The look on his face, made a stone look more articulate. His deep violet eyes studied the two men, not even hinting to what he was really thinking. "About five days ago, I believe. She's on vacation time, I don't expect to see her till August."

Fred nodded, as he reached up pulled off his hat to wipe his bald head with a cloth he had pulled from his coat. "I see. Were you informed as to where Ms. O'Donnell was heading?" he asked.

Shaking his head, Nathan answered, "No," after waiting a beat, he added, "She gave us no location, or number to reach her. She was on vacation, her first in several years, so I'm not surprised." He looked from one to the other. "What is this all about?" he asked finally.

This time is was Robert who spoke. "We're going to have to file a missing persons case, Mr. Ferelith." Nathan scowled suddenly.

"Miss O'Donnell's things were found abandoned in a warehouse two days ago," Robert informed the man. "Three men reported that they heard screams, and went to the warehouse to investigate. All they found was her luggage."

Nathan's face paled as he stared at the two officers. "She's- She's missing?"

Fred nodded apologetically. "Yes. We checked out the hotel she had been staying in, and asked around to see if anyone had seen her." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a notebook. Staring at his notes, he added "She had breakfast with two men at a local restaurant, the day before she disappeared."

Nathan looked down at his paper, his body shaking. "You better find her." his voice was cold, and harsh when he spoke. Robert nodded, and looked to his partner. "We will do all that we can. We'll keep you informed Mr. Ferelith."

Fred stood, and the two of them left the office, heading towards the exit.

Nathan Ferelith cursed beneath his breath, before reaching for his cell phone. Hitting speed dial, he waited till a voice answered with a calm hello. "We have a hell of a problem," he began as a greeting.

Standing, Nathan moved towards his door to peek out the window. "She's gone," he said simply. But the two words had the man on the other end of the line cursing. "I just spoke with two detectives," he answered the man's questions as they came out. His violet eyes followed the red haired woman as she slowly got up from her chair and followed the detectives out.

"I talked to her five days ago. The detectives said she went missing two days ago," he explained, as he watched Molly Gem make her way back to her cubicle. She kept glancing towards his office, as if waiting for him to barge out there in a fit of rage.

His lips quirked, "Fine call me when you've heard anything." He hung up, and tossed the phone towards his desk. Moving back a step, he threw the door open with such a force that it slammed into the wall behind it. "Gem! Shields! Get your asses in here!!!"

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Well I do hope this chapter was to your liking. And I must confide that we are drawing very close to a turning point. Hehe, thought I would bring the suspense up a notch.

I don't have a whole lot more to say. I don't think there is much to explain about this chapter. But if you do have any questions, again put them in your reviews.

One more thing, before I go…

I promise this story will continue, even though I am writing two stories at once. (For details on second story read summery for Amorous in my profile), (It will be my second Wolf's Rain/Sailor Moon crossover). The only problem I see coming, is on how to end this story. It could easily go on and on… and so far it seems it has. But I do have a deadline in mind. Not a deadline in our _own _time, but in the stories. Remember Serena is due back to work in August.

I have a calendar all marked up with writing, on what happens when, on each day. I still have a month to go through…

I believe that is all I will add. Making up for my lack of writing from the last chapter. Now to answer the questions that were asked in the last chapter.

****

Reviews:

Kitoky: You asked about Blue in the last chapter. No I still believe she is with Quent, I just neglected to mention her. Chapter five took place before the guys find Cheza, so Blue hasn't met her yet.

Jewelclaw Lady of Wind: I believe your question was answered in this chapter…

Pumpunita: No Serena does not have her Sailor Moon powers. She does have some kind of power, but I cant tell you what yet. As for kicking butt, I think that will come later. Artimis and Luna. Well I never considered adding them. But if you want I could probably slip them in somehow.****

Me: Sorry, but Serena will not be a wolf in this story. When I write the story with the Hige/Serena, she will be. But in this one, I wanted to be different from Concrete Tenshi. ****

Lakitsune: idea isn't bad, I might give that a try once I am more familiar with writing this type of crossover. I will say this, Serena is somewhat of a maiden in this story… as for a wolf fic, that will come later. I plan to write one where she is a wolf, but she will end up with Hige. Again maybe later I will write another fic where she is a wolf… all in due time. Thanks for the ideas though… I'll take them into consideration when I start a another fic.

kittydemon(usagi): No sorry, Serena will not be a wolf in this fic. But later on I promise to write one, where she will be a wolf.****

Concrete Tenshi: Well you must understand, unlike all the other guys, you cant really see any similarities. No distinguishable marks, or jewelry to provide a strong link between the white wolf and dark haired boy. And also, I don't think I would have believed I had seen some guy turn into a wolf. Especially if I had been shot just moments before. So I tried to keep it a little realistic. Producing doubt in her mind. **Why **didn't Kiba tell her? I don't think his character would have, if he met Serena in the show. And if you noticed in the show, they didn't really do a lot of changing in front of people. Unless they planed on killing them… **As **for Hige, you'll find out in like episode 25 or 26. **Toboe **was not injured. I think Toboe is a very sensitive wolf, and seeing a person he just met hurt, made his upset. Especially since she got hurt while saving him. I'm trying to stay in character as close as I possibly can.

Machiko: in this story, no the numbers wont mean a whole lot. When I write the story with Sere/Hige, the numbers on the collar will play a major role. If you have seen all of Wolf's Rain, you'll know what the number means. I hope to wait until that become clear so that I don't spoil the ending of the show.

Well I believe that was all the questions asked. Again thank you for reviewing, its been wonderful reading all of them. Till next time then…

LP


	7. Chapter seven

Wow, what can I say… Oh I know… THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! I LOVE YOU… hehehe. This week was amazing, all those reviews, I couldn't believe my eyes. I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.

My gratitude goes out to those who gave me pointers, asked questions, and demanded UPDATE SOON OR DIE!!! You're wonderful people, who have made this incredibly long week, great.

Thank you: **me, Lady Light, watergoddesskasey, Selene, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, BlueFrost, Jypsee, setsuna-3000, serena-bunny-hime, Serenity Komoshiro, EoAngel, Hn, Aeden Hale, Serendy4ever, Kou Kepani, Kitoky, keika, Rayne StarDust, Water Angel1, Serena Moon, Liz, Machiko, Concrete Tenshi, Anime Moon Gurl, Lady Tristana Rogue, Chaos, Flame Dancer077, Serenity Moon2.**

I have one question. How far along is Wolf's Rain on adult swim??? If someone could inform me what episode, I would be incredibly grateful. Again thank you..

****

Ages: Serena (21), Kiba (22), Tsume (28) Toboe (16), Hige (22), Molly (25), Darien Shields (29), Nathan (32), young woman (mid 20s).

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Chapter seven:

A Place to Stay, and a Deer to Eat

Serena relaxed the moment Kiba set her down on her own two feet. Pulling away from him, she shot him a haughty look. "I can walk you know!" she shouted. She turned away from him, her foot catching on an uplifted rock, and she went tumbling to the ground.

Wincing, she rolled over onto her back, to look behind her. Tsume was smirking at her. "Are you sure about that," he asked.

Her face burned with embarrassment. She sat up, dragging her legs up to her chest. Her arms crossed over her kneecaps, so that she could burry her face into the crook of her arm. Resentment consumed her, and she forced herself to block out Tsume's hardy laughs at her own expense. She had only been joking earlier, about trying to make him laugh by making a complete fool out of herself. _Looks like the jokes on me,_ she thought bitterly.

After a while the laughter died, and she was able to unbury her face. Resting her head on her crossed arms, she stared at the wall close to her. They were going to stay the night in a cave in the middle of nowhere. Her eyes drifted to the rocky ground. _No blankets, no mats, not even food. _Her stomach growled at that thought. _God I'm hungry, _she whined. _What I would do for a cup of noodles._

A hand touched her shoulder, before a body dropped to the ground next to her. "Are you okay Serena," Toboe asked. He gently nudged her shoulder with his face, rubbing his cheek against her, in hopes of warming her chilled form.

Lifting her head, she looked over at him. She had this crazy notion to pet him, which just seemed wrong, since he was a human at the moment. "Thanks Toboe," she said softly.

A soft growl emanated from the front of the cave. Kiba stalked passed them, before dropping to the dirty floor. As he did so, he reverted to his wolf form. Serena stared at the white wolf, her eyes transfixed on him. It was still quite a shock, even though she had seen it happen before.

Toboe was also looking at the huddled shape near the back of the cave. Reluctantly, he pulled away, and climbed to his two feet. "Tsume," he called, before joining the other two men outside.

Serena glanced over at the cave's entrance, then looked back over at Kiba. He laid near the back wall, his back towards her and the entrance. She couldn't tell if he was asleep or not.

Silently, she rolled over onto her hands and knees. Being as careful as she could, she crawled towards him. He made no motion if whether he heard her or not. In fact he appeared to be asleep, even though he had laid down just a few minutes before.

She sat down next to him, her eyes studying him carefully. Without thinking, she reached out, and ran her hand along his fur, letting it tickle her skin.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," she apologized. "I'm just not in a good mood I guess…" Looking away, she added, "I felt kind of hurt, and I lashed out. So, I'm sorry."

There was no reply, but then she hadn't been expecting one. Easing herself to the floor, she ignored the rocks that bit into her skin. She shifted around until she was close enough to him, to give him her heat. Like he had done when she had fallen asleep on her couch.

The memory brought a smile to her face, as she snuggled close. She breathed in deeply, her face buried deep into his neck. "You smell so good…" she murmured, already half asleep. "I lied to you earlier," she admitted, the sleepiness taking hold of her. "I followed you because I- I wanted to see you again…" she yawned lazily, her arm wrapping itself around his form.

Her breathing slowed, to where it came and went in an easy rhythm that hinted to a deep sleep.

----

Kiba opened his eyes after a few moments of waiting. Lifting his head, he glanced over at the sleeping blonde. Unlike what he had expected, he didn't feel at all uncomfortable with her pressed so close to him. In fact he felt the opposite.

It was like that time in her apartment. When he had laid there on the couch with her. Only this time she was giving him her heat instead of the other way around.

Gently easing himself out from her embrace, he was surprised to hear a small whimper come from her. His golden eyes shifted to her shoulder in worry. _Had I moved it?_ he asked himself. It didn't seem to be bothering her anymore, but that didn't mean it didn't still hurt.

He watched as the blonde rolled over onto her back, and began to softly snore. He grunted, his mouth twitching to form a smile. She hadn't changed all that much since he had seen her last. Which wasn't a surprise, considering it had only been about a week.

Lying back down, he made sure he was close to her, so that she rolled over again, seeking heat from him. Despite his attempts to keep it hidden, he couldn't hold back the softness that entered his eyes. If he had been a human, he would have smiled.

Like before she burrowed close, her face resting against his neck, her arm draped loosely across his middle. He didn't really think about it, didn't even consider it. But as he laid there, his wolf form melted away, until he was left in his human form.

Lately he had been finding himself spending more and more time as a human, that he questioned himself. There were times when he wasn't sure which form was his true form.

The girl next to him, made a soft sound, her body moving even closer. Even though he preferred to lie alone, and be alone, he found himself letting her get closer.

Kiba stared down at her face, which was half buried against his neck. He could feel her warm breath brushing across his bare skin, feel her fingers wrapping around a fist full of his jacket.

She looked so relaxed as she slept, so content even though she was in the presence of a wolf. Hesitantly, he nudged her with his face, his nose slightly prodding her forehead. He inhaled deeply, letting the scent of her ease his tension.

Since he had met her, he hadn't been able to get enough. Her fragrance was different than that of a human's. It was much sweeter, much more appealing than any other scent he had ever breathed in.

That was how he had known she was in the city. He had been heading back to the warehouse, when he had caught a faint scent of it. Before he knew it, he had followed it all the way to her. And like that time in her kitchen, she had turned, as if knowing he was there.

"Kiba," she murmured, her voice dragging him out of his thoughts.

He let his breathing slow somewhat, letting his body relax so that he could sleep. And like when he stayed in her apartment, it didn't take him long at all to nod off.

----

Bright colored eyes blinked wearily when something warm cast itself upon him. Once his eyes adjusted to the light of sun, Tsume stared up at the ceiling. They were inside a cave, the one Kiba had told them to rest in for the night.

He snorted, his disgust at the thought of the younger man. It was bad enough they were on this blind quest to begin with, it was another to have some young wolf giving him orders. Gruffly, he sat up, stretching his arms up over his head. Startled, he brought his hands out in front of his face.

Didn't I fall asleep as a wolf last night, so that I could stay warm? he thought wearily. Why had he woken up in his human form? He had no recollection of changing last night.

Turning his head, he looked over to see who was asleep next to him. _What the hell, _he exclaimed mentally. His molten amber eyes swept over the two sleeping forms of that mountain wolf, and girl they had dragged along with them.

His eyes moved to Hige and Toboe. They two, laid near the white wolf and the girl. And also, they laid in their human forms.

Scowling, Tsume climbed to his feet, and moved away from the four. He stopped in the exact spot as he had laid down on, in his wolf form. There was even a faint print of his body still in the loose dirt. _How the hell did I get all the way over there,_ he asked himself.

He shot the four who were still asleep a nasty look, before he slipped out of the cave. The sun was warm on his skin, but he felt cold. There was a strong wind coming from the North. Which they would have to fight on their journey. "Wonderful," he muttered bitterly.

Tsume forced himself to move away from the mouth of the cave. He argued with himself, with each step he took. Even though he had felt warm lying there on the cave floor, he refused to be caught snuggling. "No matter how damn cold it is out here," he growled.

This wasn't the first time. Back in the warehouse, he had fallen asleep next to the others, relishing in the warmth they gave off. Now, he just plainly refused to go back in there.

Decisively he sniffed at the air. It wasn't as compelling as it was inside the cave. But he did catch a hint of something to the west.

"You smell it too," Hige asked, when he joined the older man. "I would say it's a deer," the young man said. Tsume tsked, turning away from the shorter wolf. "Whatever."

Hige grinned, his eyes giving the silver haired man a sly look. "Well I guess I'll go catch breakfast," he declared to the man next to him. "Want to come?"

Tsume shrugged, as if the matter of eating was no big deal to him. "Sure," was his gruff answer.

The younger man reverted to his wolf form, which Tsume did as well. While in human form Tsume towered over Hige, but the younger wolf made up for it in this form. He easily out weight and out muscled the gray wolf.

With Hige leading the way, the two wolves started on their journey to find something to eat.

----

Serena rolled over onto her back, lazily. _Wow I haven't slept this good since- _she cut off that train of thought when she realized she wasn't alone. Blinking, she willed herself to rise out of her dream world, to the real one.

Wide awake, she let her head turn, so that she could see who or what was next to her. Her mouth opened as if to scream, but she quickly pursed her lips together, to cut herself off. _What in the world! _she screamed at herself mentally.

She stared at the face which was about an inch away from her nose. His skin was slightly pale in color, but looked smooth to the touch. His eyes were closed, but she already knew their color. _A cold blue. _Lying on her back, she stared at him while he continued to sleep, clearly unaware of her scrutiny. His hair an unruly deep russet brown, fell across his face. Its length was long, brushing his shoulders easily.

He was wearing the same clothes from yesterday. If this was a different situation she would have been disgusted. But she was also wearing her clothes from yesterday, since she didn't have an extra outfit with her. Beneath his thick jacket, she knew he wore a white shirt, one that he didn't bother to button the buttons at the collar. Looking down, she could see his legs, which were clad in tight blue jeans that fit him just right. Simple tennis shoes were on his feet.

Serena felt this overwhelming feeling to roll over and fall back asleep. And let his scent and his warmth drag her back to the dream world. But something that brushed across her stomach made her hesitate. Looking down, she stared down at her own body.

Her clothes had managed to get tangled around her at some point or another during the night. With her shirt pulled up to expose her stomach, Kiba's hand laid flat against her skin. His touch burned her flesh, giving her more than she wanted for heat. Even in his sleep, his thumb brushed across her middle, setting her on fire from the inside out.

She didn't feel so cold, or tired, or hungry anymore. She was too aware of how close he was to her, how male he was, and how warm he felt.

Her breath hitched in her throat, when his face nudged her cheek, as if seeking comfort. His antiques reminded her that he acted more like his wolf form than human.

God what am I doing here? she asked herself. She had gotten herself into more than she had wanted. Or so she thought. Sure she had searched him out, but this had never crossed her mind. Being this close to him had never occurred to her. _I only wanted to see him again, _she reminded herself, even though another part of her laughed at her own thoughts. _I just wanted to make sure he was okay._

Serena almost laughed at herself. _That's a lie, and you know it Serena, _she scolded herself. Who was she trying to kid?

Hesitantly, she reached down. Taking his hand, she carefully lifted it. She sensed the difference in him long before she felt it. While still holding his hand inches from her stomach, she looked over at him. Her nose touched his, and her eyes locked with his. _Holy crap he's awake!_

She had hoped that maybe she could sneak out of this predicament, without getting entangled in an uncomfortable situation. _No such luck there,_ she grounded out. Nervous, she murmured, "morning Kiba." And thinking that he might want his hand back, she dropped it.

When it slapped against her stomach, she felt her face burn even more. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. It was all her fault they had ended up in this situation to begin with. She should have just stayed on her side of the cave.

Dragging her eyes away from his, she felt too ashamed to look at him. "I-" she sighed, breaking off before she made an even bigger fool of herself. She rolled away from him, and sat up.

Tugging at her shirt, she pulled it down, before climbing to her feet. _God, what was I thinking? _she mentally berated herself.

Serena grabbed her head with both of her hands, and cursed herself with every bad word she knew.

"Is something wrong?"

She turned around to look at him. He was sitting on the floor of the cave, looking up at her. "No, no…" she quickly covered up for her strange oddities. "I'm fine, really."

Whirling around, she quickly left the cave. _Not only was that awkward- _her thoughts were cut off, when another voice shouted, "Morning Serena."

Startled, she looked over at the three boys, who were crouched near the dirt just a little ways from the cave. "Morn-" her smile slowly faded, along with her warm greeting, when she saw the carcass that laid between them. It was a male deer, she could tell by the antlers even from here. Its throat was bloody, as if it had been bitten into. But the most gruesome wound was its stomach, that looked as if something with sharp teeth and claws had torn into it.

Her eyes looked at the boys, and then back at the deer. She felt her stomach grumble, while the rest of her gagged. "Oh my god," she whispered, horrified at the sight of blood that coated around all of the boys' mouths.

Her lungs burned as if she couldn't breathe, while the rest of her quivered. Staggering, she stumbled away from the boys and the dead deer. It didn't take a genius to know what had happened.

She made it behind the cave wall, before her legs gave out beneath her. Dropping to the dirt floor, her stomach heaved, and she lost all of the water she had had the other day. Retching again, she tasted blood, which only cause more to come up.

Her whole body shook with each heave, as she lost what little nutrients she had consumed since her meal with Tsume and Toboe at the restaurant.

"Serena," the voice was soft, sounding worried, but distant.

She was gasping, her heart laboring in her chest, as if she had just ran a mile without resting. Something she didn't do willingly. "Serena?" this time the voice sounded closer, more confident.

Looking up, she stared at the youngest of the four boys. There was only a hint of blood around his mouth, the rest had been wiped off with his red shirt sleeve. The sight of the deer's blood, sent her heaving again, even though there was nothing left inside her.

Serena scrambled to her feet once the spell was over. Avoiding the mess she had made, she moved away from the younger boy. Just thinking about him eating from a dead deer made her queasy. It made her stomach cramp, even though it grumbled.

She was hungrier now than ever. She had less in her now, than yesterday, since it all was on the ground.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I think she's ill, Kiba," Toboe said softly. His eyes were looking at her with a great deal of sadness. "I think we made her sick."

Serena stiffened from where she rested against the wall of the cave. _Kiba didn't eat any of it,_ her mind told her. He had been in the cave with her. _But that didn't mean he hadn't eaten deer like that before, _she argued back. Her stomach protested, as if telling her she needed food whether it was raw or not.

"Serena?"

She felt a presence behind her, hovering close, but not touching. "I'm fine," she managed with only a hint of a quiver.

"What's wrong? Why are you ill?" Kiba asked, this time his voice more serious, more stern, than questioning. She shook her head, "I'm fine," she answered again.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, and he turned her around to face him. "When did you eat last?" When she didn't answer, he shook her, and asked again, "When did you eat last?"

Her shoulders lifted. Her face was ashen, and her eyes hollow. She felt sick, tired, hungry and cold. Her list of troubles were growing. "I had breakfast with Toboe and Tsume…" her mind brought up the deer, and she shuddered. "at the city, I had noodles at a restaurant." Again she shrugged, to weary to do anything else.

Kiba frowned. "That was two days ago." His eyes raked across her form. "you need to eat," he ordered, his voice firm.

Serena shook her head. "I-I cant." She motioned towards the mess she had made. "I-I cant eat that- that thing… I can barely eat store bought meat, and that's cooked."

The look he gave her though, told her she wasn't going to have much of a choice in the matter.

----

"You're lucky I'm a damn good sketch artist," Molly declared as they left the restaurant. "Serena is usually our artist for the paper."

Sighing, she stopped near the edge of the sidewalk, her feet teetering on the edge. "I cant believe she was kidnapped." Reaching up, she wrenched her fingers through her short red curls with a frustrated sigh. "I cant see why someone would take her and all," as she said this, her eyes dropped to the pictures she held.

One was of an older man with short silver hair, the ends drawn back into a low ponytail. _He looked pissed off,_ she thought as she stared at the man's face. _Pissed off and dangerous. _"She probably offered these two food, and they decided to use her kindness against her."

The next picture was that of a boy, probably much younger then herself. He had long reddish brown hair, that shaped his grinning face. _He didn't look mean, or evil. But then looks can be deceiving,_ she thought to herself.

"What do you think?" Molly asked, as she turned to look at her new partner. Being in this guy's company was dull and boring. She missed Serena more with each passing minute.

The young man frowned as he moved to stand next to her. "All we can do now is ask around. See if anyone saw anything," he answered. "Lets start near the warehouse where her things were found."

Molly sighed, her green eyes rolling. _Oh yea, _she thought dully. Serena would have ordered that they "**_Sniff out the way, and threaten the locals. If anyone resists our questioning, we will cut off their head."_** _Then we would laugh, and everyone would look at us as if we had just lost our marbles. _Her smile was sad, as she turned to follow her new partner.

He might not be as exciting as Serena, but he sure was hot.

He had that tall, dark and handsome look. Not like the guy she had sketched, _even though he was quite the hot stuff himself_… Her new partner was also new to their paper. He had just moved to the city, and applied for a job. It appeared he did such a good job at his old paper that Nathan couldn't help but hire the jerk.

Yep, not only was he the hottest thing to ever walk in blue jeans, he was also very conceited. Darien Shields, could probably take Nathan Ferelith, for a run for his money.

Her partner turned to glance back at her. "If you're going to slow me down, why don't you just head back to the hotel," he said coolly.

Molly rolled her eyes again. "Yea right," she replied. Picking up her pace, she added, "And let you find my best friend without me? Ha! Nice try."

She stuffed the pictures and her notebook back into her shoulder bag as they walked down the street. When she finished, she snuck a look over at the man who towered over her by a good foot and a half.

He had to be at least six foot, maybe not as deliciously tall as Nathan, who was about six foot four inches. But Darien was still tall.

He had short black hair, that had a slight shaggy look to it. His bangs fell constantly into dark blue eyes, something she was sure he let happen on purpose. He was in good shape, that much was obvious, since his tight jeans, and black turtleneck didn't leave much to imagine.

"Why don't you take a picture, it lasts longer," he said with a smirk, when he caught her staring.

Disgusted, Molly looked away sharply, and crossed her arms over her chest. "You wish!" she shouted. "I have a boyfriend thank you very much. And not only does he look better in jeans than you do, but he's much better to look at than you, period."

"Touché," he said with a soft chuckle. "So you were comparing myself to your boyfriend?" Molly smirked, and she shot the older man a sly look. "Yes I was, pretty boy. And compared to him, on a one to ten scale, you rate as a five."

She watched with great satisfaction when he winced. "Wow that bad, huh? He must be a god, to look better than me." Molly snorted, "you are so-" She stopped short when they reached the front door of some house. Frowning, she looked around. "What are we…" her voice trailed off, when she realized Darien was knocking on the door, already.

A young woman answered the door, "yes-" Molly watched as the young woman brightened when she caught sight of the beauty standing at her door, and Molly didn't mean the bird that perched itself on the gutter that ran along the roof of the woman's house.

God, no wonder he's so full of himself, she thought with a scowl. _Woman practically throw themselves at his feet._

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I feel obligated, to state this one more time. I will update, come hell or high water, every Monday.

I am slowly making progress with this story. The end for me, not for you by a long shot, is coming… hopefully. I have a general idea how this story might end, (don't take my word for it). I have it all planned out (don't make promises you cant keep LP), and hopefully you all will be here when I write those parting words, (no pressure or anything).

Oh yes, I probably should explain something about this chapter. Before any of you get completely lost. In this story, Serena grew up pretty much as a vegetarian. Basically she lived off noodles, since you know she doesn't like vegetables either. The only time she ever did eat meat was on holidays, when she spent time with her friends, or mom.

This chapter takes place two days after the last chapter, so they have been traveling non stop.

Another thing I must admit, I'm a little worried. A lot, well most have said that Kiba has been kind of err mean. That was never my intent, seriously. I guess my hints weren't as insinuating as I thought, (dammit!!! And I tried so hard to). Don't worry its not your fault, I guess I need more practice.

Oh well…

I believe that is all… I hope, anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

****

Reviews:

Me: yes, I am sorry about the wolf thing. I promise later that I will give it a shot, when I have more experience in writing these type of crossovers.****

Lady Light: Wouldn't you like to know… hehe, I promise you will meet the guy Nathan is talking to later. That phone call is my first subtle hint to Serena's personal past…

Selene: I will email you this one time… I update every Monday. As for your question well… I don't want to give anything away, but I have taken that into consideration… only later chapters will tell.

Jewelclaw Lady of Wind: Yes, you are right on the money. I thought since I changed Serena's last name, I think I'll do the same for Molly. Sorry I wasn't creative with Darien's last name… cant win em all…

BlueFrost: you mention my worry about the dates for this story… well I am a little worried, not so much now. Since the Full Moon plays three important roles in this story, so I'm trying to keep the right amount of time in between each one. Haha writers block, yes so far I have been fortunate… as for my other stories, hmmm.

Jypsee: Yes I thought Kiba was quite the cutie myself. Hehehe. How the wolves transform into humans… you know I never quite understood that myself… and I've watched most of the episodes…. Hey if you find out, would you mind passing the info along… it might come in handy… that is if you don't mind…

EoAngel: yes this fic is a Kiba/Serena romance.

Hn: yes, I'm glad you noticed. Nathan does play an important part, but not until much later. I made him sound like Duo??? Oh dear lord… Yes I think I did exceptionally well with Tsume's character in this chapter. Hehehe. I hope you liked it.

Serendy4ever: Oh I know, doesn't this make Mondays seem great!!! I look forward to them now, unlike before when I dreaded the day. Wouldn't you like to know… I have a ton of things cooked up for Serena. I am going to make her head spin, hahaha. You'll see why Nathan is paranoid about Serena missing…

Kitoky: When I read your review I was sort of confused. I'm pairing Serena up with Kiba. I noticed you were worried about Kiba, since he wasn't wanting anything to do with Serena… well that's not true, and if that was what you got from the story I am terribly sorry. I was only trying to make him appear Jealous. Since he only got mad when the other wolves got close to her… Cheza will be in this story, I have found the perfect place for her… as for Twists and turns, I will admit there will be plenty showing up soon.

Serena Moon: Don't worry the fluff will be arriving very soon.****

Liz: WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Lmao… yes Nathan does know something Serena doesn't… only now to figure out just what…

Machiko: I saw that you mentioned no spoilers… well I hate to say this, but two chapters of this story will contain a bit of spoilers. Chapters 9 and 10. I will check to see what episodes these chapters cross with, so that I can inform you ahead of time. I asked earlier in the chapter how far along Adult Swim is… hopefully its passed the part I cross with story with the show at…

Concrete Tenshi: I know short chapter… but don't worry chapters 8,9, and 10 are a lot longer… a lot… yes he would, and you'll see that later in the story. Tsume to me is a complex character. I mean I'm pretty much going by on how he reacts with Toboe… at some times, he's okay with him, at others he mean… so I'm pretty much giving him mood swings. His character to me is touch and go. There are more Wf/SM out now… crap I haven't read much of anything lately… much check this. Ty!!!!

Anime Moon Gurl: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I think you were the only one who caught my subtle hints…. Thank you!!!! I am not a complete failure… I am not sure how far along Adult Swim is, but there is one episode where Kiba becomes extremely possessive of Cheza. He wont let the others care for her, even though he's tuckered out… I am using that image, with his relationship with Serena. If you noticed that each time one of the other wolves got near Serena, he would either growl, shove them, or whisk her away??? See Jealousy… everyone kept thinking he was a jerk, and I thought I was doing a horrible writing job… So THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

Serenity Moon2: Yes, Shields, is Darien Shields. You asked about the scent that the wolves catch when they are near Serena. Well it is sort of like how Cheza smells like flowers. Its just a fragrance her body gives off, because of who she is. Who she is, will be revealed in later chapters, though.

Well that's all, thanks again for reading another chapter of Nobility!!!! Stay tuned, for there is so much more to come…

Until next Monday.

LP


	8. Chapter eight

Welcome back, to another wonderful Monday. I have several announcements to make, before we begin with this chapter.

Fist order of business, **Ages**: Serena (21), Kiba (22), Tsume (28) Toboe (16), Hige (22).

Second order of business, **Warnings**: Warning this chapter contains contents not suitable for children under the age of…(J/K!!) (But I am not kidding about the warning though…) This chapter contains; N, SC, L, (L for future chapters…)and G.

And no I don't mean, Nerds, Serious Constipation, Legelos, and Grapes… get your minds out of the gutter!

LMAO…

Third order of business, thank you so much for those of you who reviewed!!!! You are awesome!

Thanks goes out to:** Machiko, Selene, jypsee, Dukes, Flame Dancer077, setsuna-3000, Lady Light, keika bee, me, unicorn87, Hacen, BlueFrost, Aeden Hale, GambitGirl2008, Kitoky, Kagero, Blood River, serena-bunny-hime, Serenity Komoshiro, kittydemon(usagi), Delphine Pryde, Anime Moon Gurl, Lady Heather, White Moon Universe Guard, Chaos, Sunshine Fia, Hn, pumpunita, Moon-n-Universe-Goddess, Concrete Tenshi, Serenity Moon2.**

And finally questions will be answered after the chapter.

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Chapter eight:

The Full Moon

"We're leaving," he said flatly, as his eyes shifted over the two men, who were still eating from the deer's remains. Toboe was behind him, shuffling his feet, while he continually wiped at his mouth.

Reluctantly, Hige stood and licked his lips. "Now?" he asked. His burgundy eyes flickered to the bundle in Kiba's arms. "Is she okay?"

Kiba narrowed his eyes at other boy. Without saying anything, he tightened his arms around the small body he held fast to his chest. Turning from the pair, he started off North.

Whether the others followed or not, he didn't care. Getting to the next city was all that was on his mind.

His eyes fell to the girl who slept soundly in his arms. It had taken time, but he had finally gotten her to calm down. She hadn't eaten in two days. _How long could a human go without food? _He didn't know. He had never spent time with humans long enough to know.

Two days, he reminded himself. _Two days, and the full moon would rise. _Hopefully by then they would have found a city. _Could a human live without food for four days?_

They would have to move fast, and hard. There wouldn't be time to rest. _If only I could travel by wolf, _he thought. _Then I could cover more ground in less time._

__

But that was impossible.

"Kiba, slow down!" a voice cried out from behind him. He ignored it, forcing his body to move swifter and harder against the wind. Whether it went against him or with him, he didn't plan to slow down.

A howl pierced the air, slicing through the wind, and reached his ears. He glanced back briefly. Three wolves crossed the terrain behind him. They scoured the Earth, their destination unknown to anyone but themselves.

It was a wonderful sight, one he wished he could partake in.

----

"Kiba, we need to stop!" a voice shouted from a distance.

Turning, he looked back. The rough breeze ripped at his hair throwing it into his line of vision. With a shake of his head, he was given a chance to see, before the wind threw his hair back into his face. They had been traveling for two days against bitter winds. Even though it was June, the weather had not gotten warmer. Which was good at times, but then it was also bad. They didn't have to worry about dehydrating, but the cold weather made it hard for them to travel.

The pack behind him was at least a half of a mile back. Somehow they had managed to slow down that much, without him even realizing it.

Sighing, he looked down at the bundle in his arms. She hadn't gotten any better. The cold was getting to her, since she didn't have much cover, besides her clothes.

Kiba lifted his head to look ahead of him. They had yet to reach a city. The longer she went without food, the worst she got.

"Kiba," she said, her teeth chattering as she tried to talk. "You need to rest. I can walk." She tried to push herself away from him, but he held her closer to him. His body gave her some heat, and without it, he was sure she would freeze. "Kiba," she said, her voice firmer now. "They cant go on like this."

He shook his head, his face set with determination. "We have no choice." Even though he was still moving, his pace was that of a walk.

"Then put me down." She tried to shove at him again, but her feeble attempts were no match against his strength. "If you don't let them rest, then I'm going to order you to put me down, and I'll go back."

Kiba sighed, and finally he came to a stop. Looking at his surroundings, he replied, "There are some trees over there, we'll use them as cover for the night." He started moving again, letting his legs lead him to the patch of trees that still stood in this wasteland. When he reached the shade, which blocked the winds, he finally set his burden down.

She happily pulled away from him. "This is much better," she said, as she stretched her limbs.

Serena climbed to her feet, her knees straining slightly under her own weight. As the others began to arrive, she slipped into the trees.

If there are trees, then there must be water, she thought to herself. Her hand moved to touch her stomach. "I'm so hungry," she said aloud.

When she reached a small clearing, her eyes were greeted with that of a small pool. "How wonderful," she breathed.

Dropping to her knees, she cupped her hands beneath the clear surface. Greedily, she drank, letting the cool liquid fill her empty body, and restore some life into her. Once she had had her fill, she shifted till she sat on her rear. Pulling her feet close, she jerked off her shoes, and socks, and let them fall to the dirt.

Serena rolled her jeans up as high as she could, before dunking her feet into the cold water. Even though she was cold to begin with, the feel of the water was wonderful.

She let her eyes close, so that she could truly relish in the feel of it. _Now here is something I really miss, _she thought. There was nothing like bathing. It was one way to make her feel clean, whether is was warm or not.

Blinking her eyes open, she stared at the line of trees across from the small pool. The water couldn't have been more than several meters long. Its shape was more like an oval, the length of it was spread out in front of her.

A perfect place for a bath, she thought with some excitement. Looking back over her shoulder, she shouted, "Don't any of you come in here! I'm going to get undressed!" She waited for a second, listening to the silence around here. "If I catch any of you peeking, I'll skin you alive, and wear your fur as a coat!"

This time she was greeted with the sounds of rustling leaves, and snapping twigs that littered the wooded floor.

Serena smirked, her eyes shinning with mirth. Reluctantly, she stood, and moved away from the pool. Reaching up, she shed off her jacket, and tossed it to the floor. Next she unbutton her pants, and quickly slipped out of them. Just thinking of bathing, made her move faster than she had in four days.

She easily stripped to her undergarments. _I wonder… _Serena looked behind her, her eyes searching the trees. She wasn't to keen on giving a bunch of boys a show. But she didn't want to have to lay around in wet clothes, either.

Sighing, she took off the rest of her clothes, that including her bra, and underwear. When she was finally stripped naked, she finally moved back to the pool.

It was cold, very cold. Almost as bitter as the winds she had been traveling through for the last four days. Instinctively, her arms crossed over her chest, and she shivered. Taking in a deep breath, she held it, as she moved deeper into the water.

Soon she was knee deep, and then waist deep. She was nearly halfway into the pool, when the surface reached her collarbone.

Her teeth were chattering loudly, and it took all she had to ignore how cold the water was. _If I move around, I'll get warm, _she said to encourage herself. Trying to convince herself that the water wasn't as bad as it really was.

Swimming at first was much more like a chore. It wasn't until she was too numb to feel the cold, that it became much easier. Starting off she swam laps, letting her numb body heat up. After being immobile for two whole days, swimming was almost like a God send. _It was almost like being caged in, _she told herself. A feeling she hated more than anything.

When swimming the length of the pool began to bore her, so she tried floating on her back. After a few near drowns on that, she gave up, and swam back to shore.

As soon as her feet were able to touch, and walking in water was easier than trying to swim, she stood. She was about waist deep in water, when she started cleaning. With only her hands as her tools, she rubbed at her body to rid herself of the grimy feeling she had accumulated by being out in the middle of nowhere.

What I would do for a hot bubble bath. She smiled at that thought. _And a hot cup of cocoa._

Serena sighed, a little wistfully. Turning around, she dunked her head foreword, letting her hair soak in the water, before throwing her head back. Her hair slapped against her bare back, causing her to wince some.

Her eyes dropped to the healing wound on her shoulder. It would probably scar, but she didn't mind. It was evidence that what had happened to her, was real.

The sound of a twig breaking, had her head lifting in the direction it came from. _Déjà vu, _she thought with slight annoyance. A white wolf stood near the edge of the clearing.

Mustering her best scowl, she quickly crossed her arms over her chest. "Didn't I tell you once before about a girl's privacy! I even told you before hand not to come here," she accused. Since he seemed unaffected by her discomfort, she ordered, "Well can you at least turn around!"

The wolf grunted, before doing as she asked.

Serena sighed, and since this would probably be her only chance to find cover, she hurried out of the water. Turning her back on the wolf, she quickly rung out her blonde hair, and then tossed it over her shoulder.

Bending down, she reached for her underwear, and tugged them on. Next she pulled on her bra. Once that was finished, she reached for her jeans, and shirt. As soon as she was dressed, she turned around to face her wolf.

But instead she was met with a man. "Kiba!" she nearly shrieked. Holding one hand over her heart, she shot the boy a smoldering look. "You scared the hell out of me!"

Kiba didn't reply. Instead, he turned back to the trees, and reached for something. "Hige found this. The others have already eaten, now its your turn."

Serena felt her body stiffen when she saw the remains of an antelope. It was obvious that something had already feasted on the corpse, since the wound in its belly was quite large.

"Kiba," she said, her voice hoarse. "I cant eat that!"

Blue eyes narrowed on her. "You have to. If you don't eat, you could die. We might not reach a city in time."

She was already shaking her head. "If-if I'm such a burden to you, then leave me here. I'll find my own way to the city."

He dropped the leg he had been holding firmly in one hand. With a low growl, he stalked towards her, and grabbed her by the shoulders. "You will eat," he snarled. His blue eyes burned into hers, causing her to jerk back in fear. His image was fading in and out, so that his wolf form came and went.

Seeing that his hold on her was hurting her, he released her. Turning he moved back to the body, and plunged his hand deep into the gaping hole.

Serena gagged, her whole body shaking like a leaf. "Please Kiba," she begged. Her eyes followed him, as he tore out a chunk of meat, and made his way towards her. She started to shake her head, her feet moving her back, and away from him. "No Kiba, no." Her eyes flickered from his face, to his hand and back again.

She was jolted when her foot stepped back, and she suddenly felt cold. Looking down, she realized she had reached the water.

"You wont survive without food," he said, as he advanced on her.

"I'll be fine, Kiba. I'm sure there's a city close by." Her eyes were frantic, their gaze moving about her, looking for an escape.

"No you wont. There is no guarantee that there will be a city even close to here," he replied. He was nearly on top of her, when she turned around and fled.

Gritting his teeth, Kiba lunged. His body crashed into hers, and they hit the water with a loud splash. When they came up for air, he was holding the squirming blonde with one arm. "Eat it!" he ordered. The chunk of meat was gripped tightly in his other hand, as he tried to force it into her mouth.

"NO-" her shout was cut off, when the raw meat was pushed into her mouth.

Her eyes widened, and her thrashing grew worse. It came to a point, where he had to hold her with both of his arms, to keep her from getting free.

Kiba feared that she might just spit the meat out, since both of his hand were busy trying to keep her from drowning them both. But he was completely thrown off, when she suddenly moaned. Her thrashing ceased, and she laid still in his arms.

With raised brows, he looked down at the girl in his arms. She was laying there content, her eyes closed, as she licked her lips, greedily. _Wha- _his confused thoughts, were cut off, when she opened her eyes.

He was so used to seeing a pair of bright blue eyes, that when he found himself staring into a pair of silvery ones, his grip on her slackened.

She easily slipped from his arms, and stood in the knee deep water. "You're a real jerk," she grounded out. She turned around, and her now blue eyes shot him a nasty look.

"Wha-what…," he tried to ask, but found himself fumbling over his own words.

Serena stormed out of the water, her arms wrapped around her middle. Her eyes trailed towards the carcass, and her stomach growled. "Why did you make me eat that?" She tore her gaze away, and turned towards him. She didn't look any different now, and he wondered if maybe it had been the lighting that had affected the color of her eyes.

Carefully, he climbed to his feet, and slowly made he way out of the water.

His skin bristled.

Wearily his eyes lifted to the sky overhead. The sun was setting behind the trees. Pink, orange, and yellow sprayed across what was once a gray blue.

Tonight is the full moon, he realized. What heat the sun had given was quickly dieing, as it disappeared. Never had the sun set as quickly as it did now.

Either time passed by them all too quickly, as they stood there near the pool, or it had been much later than he had first realized.

His skin tingled, causing his body to quiver in delight. _Tonight was the full moon, _he thought in wonder. Tonight his body would rejuvenate. Already his body was wanting to take its true form, to become the wolf he really was.

"K-Ki-Kiba."

He frowned, his eyes blinking, and the golden orbs turned back to blue, as he looked over at the girl who stood in front of him. She was shivering in the dimming light.

Reluctantly, he moved towards her, willing to give her his heat, even if it meant putting off his true form a bit longer. He had hardly taken several steps towards her, when he caught a whiff of something. Stopping, he sniffed at the air, and a frown knitted his brows.

Kiba looked at the girl sharply, when he recognized the scent. It seemed much stronger than usual. Testing the air again, he nearly growled.

Worried, Serena glanced around, "Is something wrong, Kiba?" He was acting strange. _Stranger than usual, _she thought to herself.

When he grabbed at his head, and shook it hard, she took a step back in alarm. _What's wrong?_ she asked in a slight panic.

Her hands formed into fists at her sides. Forcing herself foreword, she asked timidly, "Kiba?"

Again he shook his head, this time more roughly than before. "Get away from me," he growled at her. Hurt by his tone, she stopped moving towards him. She fought back the sting of tears, and forced herself to try to figure out what might be wrong with him. "Kiba, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

This time the growl held a hint of a howl to it. Whether it was from pain or not, she couldn't tell. He dropped down into a crouched position, still holding his head. Worry filled her, shoving back fear and hurt.

As she started towards him, the area became bright, as the clouds overhead made room to show off the full moon. It was then, she started to feel faint, her body tingling all over, as if it had fallen asleep.

Serena stopped, when she reached his side. She was reluctant to touch him. If he was in pain, he could lash out at her. Clearing her throat, she struggled to find her voice. "Kiba," she breathed, her voice not even sounding like her own.

The reply given to her, was a low growl. Not as menacing as the last, but sounding more like a warning. Fighting back the rising hysteria, she asked, "C-can I help? Should I get the others?"

Her panic escalated, when fur rippled over his skin. Looking up, she wondered if the stories about werewolves were real. _Did the moon effect them? _The idea scared her deeply. How could she protect herself against a wild animal, if it decided to attack her?

Her chest, rose and fell, in heavy pants. Three sets of howls pierced the air, causing her to jump. Her eyes flew back to the boy who held his head in his hands, and trembled as if in pain. "I-I'll go get the others, they might know wha-"

"NO!" the growl rippled through the air between them. Before she could act, he threw himself at her. She didn't get the chance to scream, before her back hit the ground, and the air was knocked out of her lungs.

He was in his wolf form, his golden eyes glowing with the moonlight overhead. He gave out a dignified snort. "Kiba," she gasped, unable to breath with his paws pressing down on her chest, pinning her to the ground.

When he moved forward, she closed her eyes expecting her throat to be torn open like the antelope's had been. Her eyes flew open, when the white wolf slid his tongue along her neck, instead. She stared at him in shock, even after he changed back into his human form.

"Kiba?" she questioned, unsure of what she was seeing. _Was this real? _When he nudged her face with his nose, her brows lifted. "What are you doing," she asked him incredulously. He still held her firmly to the ground, his hands planted at her sides, and beneath her arms. He leaned his face back down to hers again. Rubbing his cheek against her cheek, he breathed in deeply.

Serena's eyes widened, and her back stiffened slightly. Turning her head towards him, she tried to find her voice. But before she could say anything, he beat her to it. "I told you to get away," he growled softly. "Now its to late."

It would have been a threat, had it happened at any other time. Serena broke out into a fit of giggles, as she squirmed beneath him. "Kiba, that tickles!" she cried out. Twisting beneath him, she tried to evade his nibbling.

Laughing like she was, brought tears streaming from her eyes. "Kiba!!!" she shouted, giving him a look. "What has gotten into you?" Since the day she had met him, he had never done anything so outrageous like this before.

Smirking, Kiba jumped to his feet. Reaching down, he pulled her up against him. He buried his face against the crook of her neck, and nuzzled her there. She squirmed at the strange touch, as she fought off peals of laughter. "Will you stop that?" she begged.

When she managed to wriggle her way out of his reach, she sighed in relief. Reaching up, she touched her neck, where he had nibbled on her skin. It still tingled.

Serena looked over at the boy, and caught the playful look in his blue eyes. When he jumped at her, she let out a shriek, and ran. She stormed into the water, spraying it everywhere as she went.

Looking back, she gasped. He was moving much faster than she was in the knee deep water.

Not wasting another moment, she dove into the cold depths of the pool. Her arms and legs moved as one, propelling her through the water. But she didn't get far, before arms wrapped around her, pulling her against a solid form beneath the surface.

Through the haze, she could barely make out his form. His thick hair floated around his face, which moved closer to hers. His eyes were open, and she was sure he could see fine even under water. _So much for staying dry,_ she thought. They both had neglected to undress, before prancing into the water like that had just done.

With her lips pressed tightly together, to keep in her needed air, she cupped his face with her hands. She had done this several times before, but the only difference, was that this time she leaned towards him. Serena crushed her lips against his, as their heads broke the surface. She lingered a second longer, before she broke off the chaste kiss.

When she pulled back, she was mildly pleased to see the shocked expression on his face. The corner of his lips lifted, as if he wanted to smile, but was unsure if he should. Tenderly, she brushed her fingers behind his ears.

His eyes fell closed, and his breathing quickened. She laughed, glad that the caress had the same effect in both of his forms.

Suddenly, he growled, and his arms pulled her tight against him, so that they touched everywhere. He pressed his mouth against hers, like she had done. Only when he pulled away, he licked her lips, before kissing the hollow of her throat.

Serena moaned, the feeling sending heat soaring through her veins. Where she had been cold, now burned with fire. She threw her arms around his neck, wanting to be even closer to him.

He growled against her throat, before he nipped her skin. Pulling back, he looked at her with dark eyes. "Serena," he managed, his voice sounding thick. Shaking her head, she pressed her lips against the side of his throat, and nibbled his skin, like he had done to her.

She pulled back just a fraction, her hesitation only brief. With her fingers tangled in his long hair, she murmured, "Now is not the time to talk." Then to keep him from saying anything, she kissed him on the mouth, hoping to silence him for the rest of the night.

----

With a yawn Toboe arched his back, and stretched lazily. He had never gotten such a blissful sleep as he had, since embarking on this journey. The full moon had done wonders at healing all of his aches and worries throughout the night.

Standing, he looked around at the small group. It appeared he was the only one awake. Tsume was curled up near a tree, his back towards the rest of them. Hige had fallen asleep close to the smaller wolf. They might have sought shelter in the trees, but that didn't mean it kept the cold from penetrating them.

He stretched again, his mouth opening to let loose another yawn. Once that was over with, he allowed his wolf form to change into that of his human one.

Now that he was on two feet, he searched the tiny clearing for two more occupants. "Kiba?" he asked aloud. The white wolf was missing, along with the girl they had brought with them from the city. Turning this way and that, he frowned. "Didn't they come back last night?" he wondered.

Starting for the trees, he thought back to the night before. Serena had went in search of water when they had first arrived. It hadn't been long, before Kiba had went after her.

Scratching his belly, he worked his way around the tall trees in search of his companions. It wasn't long before a familiar scent assaulted his nostrils. His brows knitted together, as his frown deepened. Hige had managed to find a herd of antelope before dusk. With Tsume and Kiba's help they had managed to catch three of them.

Toboe pushed a low hanging branch out of his face, so that he could see. The first thing he saw, was the rotting carcass of one of the antelopes they had caught. Tilting his head slightly, the younger wolf tried not to let the sight of partly skeletal form bother him.

His stomach grumbled, warning him that he hadn't eaten to his heart content the night before. Two antelope between three wolves was hardly enough to appease them. With a small sigh, he pulled himself out of the trees, and entered the spacious clearing.

In the light of the day, it was quite beautiful, almost like a paradise in itself. Too bad Kiba was too thick most of the time to realize that paradise could be as simple as a pool of water surrounded by a thicket of trees.

The ground might not be littered with sweet smelling flowers, he thought with slight resentment. "But there is some heaven still left in this barren world," he said softly under his breath.

Brown eyes shifted away from the clear water, to look at the rest of the serene clearing. It was quiet here, hardly a bird spoke out of tune, as if not wanting to disturb someone in a deep slumber.

Walking further into the area, he linked his fingers behind his head in a lazy but comfortable manner.

He would have started whistling to a tune his old owner used to hum, when something peculiar caught his eye. He raised a brow in wonder at what he was seeing.

It wasn't like he hadn't seen it before, since he had woken twice to find them lying together. But there was something different this time.

Toboe stayed where he was, not willing to move any closer to the two bodies that laid near the shore of the pool. Diligently, he sniffed at the air, and snorted. His nose twitched, and he had to shake his head, as if to stop himself from sneezing.

A hand fell onto his shoulder, causing him to jump about a mile. "Tsume!" he hissed, his brown eyes narrowing on the older wolf. "You scared me," the younger wolf accused.

Tsume didn't look at the angered boy, but stared at the two still fast asleep. His golden eyes narrowed slightly, but unlike his naïve companion, he didn't sniff at the air. "Come little one, we are not welcomed here."

Turning, the silver haired man started back in the direction Toboe had come from.

The younger boy watched the older man walk towards the trees. Hesitant, he glanced back at the lake. _Not welcomed,_ he wondered to himself.

"Toboe." The steel in the older wolf's voice caused the younger one to follow, even though he was quite reluctant to do so.

----

Serena opened eyes to feel the sun basking her in its warmth. Smiling languidly, she stretched her arms above her head, and yawned lazily.

The feel of something snuggling against her middle, had her lifting her head to look. She was lying on her back, in the clearing from yesterday. She was close to the water, but far enough that she was dry. Frowning, she tried to think why the sight of her body nearly blinded her.

Her head tilted, and she winced when her hair was pulled. Looking back, her eyes widened in shock. _My hair!_ she cried out in alarm. While her hair had been cut at a decent length before she had gone swimming, it had grown. That was what was covering her naked form.

With one arm to hold her up, she gingerly touched a long strand of her blonde hair. _What happened last night,_ she asked herself. She didn't remember anything about her hair growing.

Something cold touched her side. Blinking, Serena looked down to find Kiba nudging her gently with his black nose. She stared at his thick white fur, before she reached out, and scratched him behind the ears.

With out moving, his wolf form changed into his human one. With a wild look in his eyes, he moved closer to her, touching his nose with hers. Serena smile goofily at him. "Morning to you too," she said faintly.

Last night was like a hazy dream, something too good to be true.

Swallowing hard, she had to work around her parched throat, that needed water in order to work right. "My hair…" she held up a handful. "Do you know when…" she licked her lips, trying to work enough salvia in her mouth to talk right.

Kiba smirked, and he bumped noses with her again, causing her to lose her train of thought. "Well I remember last night, I mean how could I-" she broke off, when he nibbled at the skin over her vocal box. She laughed, the feeling tickling her. "Kiba!"

She tried swatting at him, but he caught her wrist in his hand.

Serena felt her face burn. "Y-you know, I bet the others are wondering where we are."

The boy let out an annoyed growl at the mention of the others. Rolling her eyes, she pulled herself out from underneath him.

Climbing to her feet, she stretched her limbs, causing her toes to curl. "Wow, I feel great." Shaking her head from side to side, she lifted her arms up over her head again. "I haven't slept that good for like a month," she admitted aloud. Moving towards the water, she knelt down at the edge. Cupping her hands beneath the surface, she splashed the water into her face, and rubbed.

When she pulled her hands away, she could make out a small amount of blood, just before it vanished within the pool. Shaking her head, she quickly drank from the water, trying to fight off the images she kept getting from the night before.

Once she had had her fill of water, she climbed to her feet, and turned away from the pool. Serena looked around herself, searching for her clothes. Spotting the pile, she quickly dressed.

As soon as she finished, she turned around, and found her white wolf waiting near the trees for her. Smiling, she hurried after him. She had to pass the remains of the antelope to get to him.

She shivered at the memory of her eating off the carcass. She couldn't chalk it up as dreams, because of her lack of food. Glancing down at her stomach, she winced. She wasn't hungry any longer, not like she had been last night.

Only parts of the night before had been a complete haze to her, while others were sharp and clear in her mind.

Her cheeks burned as she thought about the things she knew had happened.

Kiba disappeared into the trees, and she quickly followed him. They easily made their way to where the others waited. The guys were all awake, and seemed to be waiting for them to arrive.

"Serena?"

Hige jumped to his feet, as soon as she left the dense trees. She flashed the older boy a smile. "Morning everyone," she greeted, as her eyes swept over the group.

Toboe climbed to his feet, when she spoke. "Morning Serena. Are you better?" he asked, his eyes moving over her.

She watched as his brows lifted, and she knew it had to be because of her hair. Looking down at it as well, she flushed. "I don't know what happened," she explained. The long tresses now reached her calves in length, a good several feet longer than the day before.

As if needing to take the attention off herself, she asked, "so are we ready to continue our journey?"

Everyone then turned to the white wolf, who had been watching the scene unfold, silently. His image changed into that of his human form. "Yes," he answerer shortly.

With that said, he started walking, leaving the shelter of the trees behind. He was heading North again, in the same direction as before.

Serena shrugged at the looks shot her way. Copying the boy's movements, she started after him. The other's followed the pair, but kept their distance.

----

It took them two more days, before they had reached the nearest city. When they arrived, the group was too exhausted to even to begin to search for food.

"We'll rest here," Kiba spoke carefully. Stepping beneath the bridge, he laid the sleeping girl down near the stone wall, before he turned to the others.

Toboe looked worst for wear, as he sagged to the floor. "I'm so tired," he mumbled weakly. Already the younger wolf's eyes were beginning to droop.

Kiba sighed raggedly, as the others settled down to rest beneath the stone bridge. He was just as tired as the others, but he felt reluctant to sleep yet.

Sitting down, he let himself relax next to the sleeping blonde. To his amusement, she shifted around on the hard ground, until she laid even closer to him.

"Kiba," Tsume warned him. "We can't drag her along with us any longer."

The older wolf laid down a little ways away from the others. Resting his head on his paws, he gave Kiba a serious look. "You know she cant come with us," he said tiredly. "She's a human, a human woman no less. There is no way she would survive."

Kiba watched as the gray wolf slip into a dreamless sleep, his body too exhausted to move anymore. He sat there silently, watching as everyone around him slept soundly.

What Tsume had said was true. Serena had been lucky to survive just the six days. What if their journey became more dangerous?

Lowering his eyes to the girl curled up next to him, he realized what he would have to do.

Moving carefully, he shifted till he was crouched next to her. "Serena," he called softly. The blonde hardly stirred. "Serena," he tried again, this time shaking her by the shoulders.

Blue eyes stared up at him through a haze of sleep. "Kiba?" she said thickly, her voice sounding tired. "What's wrong?" She wearily sat up, with a loud yawn. "We made it to the city?"

He stared at her as she looked around them. "Yes, why don't we go find something for you to eat," he said carefully.

Serena smiled, "Oh, can we get some noodles. Noodles sound really good."

Kiba felt himself nodding, even though something sharp tried to pierce right through his chest. He knew what he would have to do. "Come on, we'll get whatever you want."

----

"Kiba try some!" she offered the cup of noodles they had gotten to go at an Italian restaurant.

The older boy shook his head, refusing politely. Shrugging her shoulders, Serena moved ahead of him, as she greedily ate from the container. "Thank you Kiba, for everything!" She tossed her arms above her head, nearly spilling noodles everywhere.

She turned to look at him, her face glowing with the near perfect moon behind her. The sky was dark, and the hour late. Giving him a grand smile, she reached out to take his hand.

His eyes followed her movements, before he looked back at her face. "Lets see the city," she said, her eagerness contagious.

He smiled in return, and took her offered hand.

After tossing the container in a nearby trashcan, she started to tug the older boy down the street. "Tell me Kiba," she said after a bit of silence. "Where are we going?"

Kiba shrugged, not really willing to give her an answer. "But you've been traveling North for six days, surely you have a place in mind?" She was looking at him, as they walked with the road. Letting it lead them to unfamiliar surroundings.

Dropping his gaze to stare at their feet, he replied softly, "Paradise."

Serena frowned, her brows drawing together in confusion. "Paradise," she asked. _He couldn't be serious,_ she thought to herself. _No such place truly existed anymore_. Nodding, Kiba looked at her now, his eyes betraying what he truly felt. She was startled by the mixed emotions set in his blue eyes. Eyes that usually held little to no feelings at all.

A small smile found its ways on her face, as she continued to look at him. "Paradise, huh?" Serena tore her eyes away, and looked out at the sky. "It sounds wonderful Kiba."

He nodded, also looking out towards the moon. "It is. Flowers bloom everywhere, and everything smells wonderful."

Serena had a distinct memory form in her mind, as she stared up at the imperfect moon, as each day it receded into a new moon. In her mind's eye she saw flowers, and trees, and glorious colors. "Flowers are nice," she said softly. Hesitantly, she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"We have to find Cheza," he confessed. He seemed suddenly willing to say everything, not holding back any longer. "Cheza? Whose Cheza," she asked carefully. She braced herself, waiting for something she didn't want to know, but had to know.

Kiba pulled his hand free from hers, and stuffed them into his pockets. She wasn't sure if he had meant to do it on purpose, but he seemed to be withdrawing from her. "The Flower Maiden. Only she can lead the way to paradise."

Serena nodded, her mind completely understanding everything he said. But her feet stopped moving, as if they were rooted to the ground. _The Flower Maiden?_ she thought bitterly. _Why do I have this strong dislike towards her already?_

Touching her hand to her chest, she winced as if in pain. Clearing her throat, she asked, "And you know where this, uh- girl is?"

Kiba paused, his head tilted upward to look at the high moon. "Its hard to explain," he started saying.

Closing her eyes, she shook her head. "I see."

Slowly he turned towards her. His smile was rueful, his eyes playful. "Do you want to come to paradise with us, Serena?" The question had come out of the blue, startling her. _Paradise,_ she thought, her mind already forgetting about the Flower Maiden named Cheza. Staring at the boy before her, she found herself unable to say no, but then, she couldn't say yes and mean it either.

What about her life? What about her family, and her friends? "I don't know Kiba," she said at last. Holding her hands up, she waved towards the city, and the people who still walked the streets. "I mean, this is all I've ever known."

Dropping her hands, she added, "I don't know if I could give that up."

----

Nodding to the hostess, as he passed the front desk, he started for the elevator. He had no right taking her with them.

She's a human, Tsume had said. _Humans are weak,_ his mind growled, while another part of him disagreed. A woman couldn't survive the kind of journey they were on. A human wouldn't survive, not when there is a chance of going without food for long periods of time.

She'll be a burden, he tried to reason with himself. He pressed the button to the floor he wanted, and waited as the door shut with a soft thud. He stared down at the sleeping blonde in his arms. It was almost dawn, and they had spent the whole night walking around the city.

After he had asked her to come with them to paradise, they hadn't talked much. Her unwillingness to give him a straight answer weighed hard on him. _She'll just distract me, _he told himself. He was doing what was best for everyone. _She can go back to her world, _he argued stiffly. _And we wont be slowed down, _he added.

The doors opened when the elevator had finally stopped. Hardening his expression, he moved out of the elevator, and into the grand hallway. **_This is all I've known,_** she had said.

Looking back down at her, he sighed. "It'll be better this way." He stopped at a door. Using the keys given to him, he was able to unlock the door, and push it open. Walking inside the suite, he carried his burden to the soft bed, and laid her down.

He only hesitated for a second, before tossing the keys to the bed, and stalking out.

He refused to look back.

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Yes I know most of you are probably highly disappointed with the little fluff that appeared in this chapter. But please, this is a PG13 rated story, not much I can get away with under that kind of rating.

Also, you all are probably wigged out about Serena… And maybe a little ticked off at Kiba, but all will be explained in later chapters. Or if you ask questions, will be explained next Monday.

Now for the important news of all time… well to me anyway. Tomorrow I get to have my Wisdom teeth pulled, (pity me). So if by some weird luck I die, either by inhaling too much laughing gas, or my dentist pulls an oops on me, I wont be updating next Monday. But if all goes well, even with the remote chance that I may go numb permanently as my dentist told me could happen, **I will see you all next Monday**.

Now on to the questions that were asked in the reviews.

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Reviews:

Machiko: thank you so much for the episode!! This actually works out, I wont even be spoiling anything, since the episode will come out before I even put up the chapter. YAY!!

Selene: You're right in a way actually. I was using that possessiveness to get them closer. Its kind of like he is having an inner battle. A part of him wants her, while another doesn't. sort of like how in the beginning he hated humans, but in order to survive, he had to become one. I will admit, that the real reason why Kiba brought Serena along, wasn't just to keep her talking. He wanted her along, because he didn't want to let her out of his sights again. And as you noticed when the others started to show interest in Serena, the part of him that wanted her charged into action. To him, Serena is his… he just didn't completely see that, until this chapter, when his wolf side took charge… I hope you liked it.

Dukes: I've seen 26 of the episodes. I still have four left to watch.****

Hacen: thank you for your help I really appreciate it! ****

BlueFrost: Now here was a long review if I ever did see one. Actually I do have the phases of the moon. I have it all written out on my calander, hehe. Yes Tsume is a very distrustful wolf, and yet he follows the others even though there is no proof of paradise… makes you really wonder about his character… No none of them will ever be the bad guys. They may get into trifle arguments, but nothing horrid. Yes I guess she would eat anything if she was hungry enough… and as you can see in this chapter that does happen, only something else sort of helps her… you don't have to worry about me getting tired of posting. I've already written twenty one chapters. I think I have three more before it ends… thank you so much for the site!!! It will be a big help!

Kagero: I worried you because of the name change? I'm sorry about that. I wanted something different. Everyone uses Usagi Tsukino, or Serena Tsukino or Serena Moon. And I liked how Serena O'Donnell sounded so I decided to try something new. You know I think your right about the illusion… I think what I need to do is watch the episode about the Book again. I think it explained it in there. Yes I remember that episode, which was kind of weird. Tsume did the same with Toboe when they made a run for it… But then later on, Kiba is able to carry Cheza on his back like a regular human can, and can hold her hand… it kind of contradicts itself I think. Well I've glad you like my story so far, and I hope you like it till the end.

kittydemon(usagi): Lmao, I didn't even think of that jacket!! Haha. But I agree it wasn't very flattering on him. And I had to make a point that Darien is supposed to be drop dead gorgeous in this story… you'll see why later. Lol you're the first person to call me princess… it's a nice change. :D

Sunshine Fia: related to Cheza? Close, but not quite right… it does have something to do with Cheza…****

Hn: actually I guess I can see where your getting at. But I was trying to affiliate him with his counterpart Nephrite. ****

Pumpunita: What chapter will they arrive in… not for a while I'm sorry, one makes a brief show, but the others I believe will come in Chapter thirteen. I know that's a long ways away, but that was the chapter I was working on, when you mentioned the sailors. As for powers, no… But I will say this, three of them will be wolves, and one is a Noble. Serena has some power. The one power I do show is of my own, and another is kind of like what happens when they are frightened. But no crescent moon forms, but energy collects, and packs a nice left hook..! You know I never considered adding the cats… but I think I will. If I do… they wont show until like chapter Twenty, since that is where I am at now.

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Concrete Tenshi: Absolutely. But to be more specific, his wolf form was being possessive… as I'm sure you noticed in this chapter. He feels, that what is _his_, is being threatened by the closeness of the others. Wolves are very territorial… and we all know what Kiba thinks is his… Why did the boys change? There could be many answers for that. I could say it was because I wanted it to appear that they are warming up to her unconsciously… or they unconsciously wanted her to feel comfortable with them, so they donned their human appearances… but in my opinion I didn't really think about it. I just wanted to create a unique twist to the story where the boys feel like they are draw to her, as they are drawn to Cheza… Yes, the scent does have a little to do with it… the scent helps them warm up to her, and feel more comfortable in her presence. Even though Tsume wants to fight it the whole way… Why thank you… I love writing about Toboe… I donno its something about his character… you know he reminds me a great deal of Quatre… actually now that I think about it, I could probably base each wolf off the GW guys… But I have noticed that in the anime, Toboe was always worried about the others, wanting to help… he really relies on his emotions… thanks for the episode… yea I actually got to watch it.. Hehehe… I found time for once. Hehe. But this is actually perfect, I wont be spoiling anything. The episode I cross with is actually the next episode I believe. What are the chances hehe. Thanks again, I love reading your reviews!

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A little tid bit of information… The top three people I believe you never want hear the word **_oops _**from. Your Surgeon, your Dentist, and your Cook…

I believe that is all, have a wonderful week, I know I wont!

LP


	9. Chapter nine

Wow and to think I was worried… I have to say that was my first true romance scene I have ever written… I'm glad you guys are still here!!! Thanks a lot for all the reviews, and your advise on my Wisdom Teeth.

My god I'm glad I never have to go through that again…

Anyway, I don't have a lot to say, review questions, and an author note is posted after the story… please do read. Thanks.

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Thanks to those who love my story!!!

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Selene, setsuna-3000, Lady light, kittydemon(usagi), keika bee, Jypsee, GambitGirl2008, Dragonpink, Amyngel, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Queen Diamond, Serenity Komoshiro, Rayne StarDust, Prophetess of Hearts, Blood River, Sunshine Fia, Hn, Delphine Pryde, Lady Kaly 7 CrystalBlueSeraph, Kagero, Raepan, Bambi Star, Aeden Hale, Concrete Tenshi, Serenity Moon2, Serenity Moon2, serena-bunny-hime.

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Warnings: Spoiler alert. Minor spoilers… crosses with episode 9... Imagine that… anyway, such episode has already appeared on Adult Swim, so hopefully it's not much of a problem.

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Chapter nine:

Lost but not Forgotten

"I think we should check in for the night," Molly said wearily. She was tired, irritated, and sore all over. They had been traveling for six days by train. The ride had been miserable at best. It hadn't been the greatest trip of her life, but then that was what being cheap got people. They were on a tight budget, so the small compartment had been all that they could afford.

Darien Shields gave his new partner a bored look. Having to listen to her insistent nagging, was grating on his nerves. "Fine," he relented, and steered himself towards the nearest hotel. He wasn't in the mood to ask questions anyway.

Rolling his neck, Darien reached up to massage the part of it that hurt. If he would have known that being sent on a search and rescue was going to commence as soon as he applied for this job, he wouldn't have bothered. He liked his job, being a reporter was what he was good at.

"Good morning sir." The aged man, who stood behind the front desk, flashed them a kind smile. Grudgingly, Darien reached for his wallet, to find himself a credit card. "Two single rooms please." He had to bite off a yawn, before he embarrassed himself in front of the crowd.

Casually his lifted his free hand to cover half his face, while the other expertly slid the blue card forward on the desk.

The older gentlemen's smile broadened, "yes of course. You both look quite tired, I'll have a bellhop send your luggage up, right away." He swiped the card, and when he returned it, handed them their keys at the same time.

"Thanks," Molly muttered, and grabbed her key before Darien could move. "I'll see you later." With that she stalked off. Before she slipped into the elevator, she caught sight of Darien talking with the bellhop.

Pressing the floor she wanted, she waited impatiently. When she reached the right floor, she stepped out as soon as the doors opened, and started down the hall.

Molly stopped at her door, and unlocked it. Throwing it open, she breezed inside, kicking the door shut behind her.

She shrugged off her coat, letting it fall to the floor, as she made her way to the bed. It was seven in the morning, and she was exhausted. Detouring, she stopped at the curtains, and tugged them together, before walking to her bed. "I could sleep for a week," she said, as she fell back onto the hard mattress.

Rolling over onto her side, she closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to take her. When fifteen minutes passed, she let out a curse, as she sprang to her feet. "Dammit," she griped, and stalked towards the door. Throwing it open, she looked down the hall.

"Darien's room has got to be around here somewhere, right?" she asked aloud, as she eyed each door. Sighing, she went next door and knocked. Waiting for a beat, she listened. _No sounds…_ knocking again, she tried harder. _Still nothing._

She moved to the door on the other side of her room. She knocked hard, her impatience wearing thin. This time she could hear the thud of feet.

When the door opened, she was greeted with the sight of a young woman, with short blonde hair. Her clothes were tussled, and she looked at Molly with a droll stare. "Yea?" she asked, her blue eyes waiting expectantly.

Molly laughed nervously, and tugged at her shirt furtively. "Umm sorry I'm looking for my friend's room. I didn't-"

"Who is it love?" a voice asked from inside the room. Molly felt her eyes bulge when she realized that the other voice was female, as well. "No body Miche-" and the door slammed in front of her.

Molly turned around, feeling her face burn several shades of red. _I did not just see that_, she told herself, as she moved to find another door.

She knocked on the door across from hers. When there was no reply, she knocked harder. _I swear if he's too lazy to get up, and answer the damn-_ she started, when the door suddenly swung open, cutting her off.

"God will you stop knocking, cant you see I'm trying to sleep!" the young woman shouted from the doorway. She looked tired, and appeared that she had indeed been woken up from a deep sleep. But Molly hardly noticed that.

"Serena?" she asked, her eyes raking over the figure in front of her. "What the hell happened to you?"

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Go away, she shouted to herself. Groaning, she rolled over onto her stomach, and buried her face into the pillow. "Five more minutes Kiba," she mumbled in the soft pillow, when the sound persisted.

Turning her head, she opened her eyes. _Why couldn't they just go away, _she asked herself. Planting her hands firmly on the mattress, she pushed herself up, and fell back onto her legs.

"Where am I?" she said aloud, now that she was a little more awake than before. _How had she gotten here, _she wondered. Voices alerted her that someone was outside her door.

"Kiba," she called out, looking around. She was in a hotel room. Her eyes widened, _it was a dream, _she thought. _All of it, all of it had been some dream!_

A swarm of tears filled her eyes. "No, it couldn't."

Suddenly the pounding she had heard was louder, as someone knocked on her own door. "Go away," she said pitifully. She just wanted to be alone.

When the knock persisted, she scrambled off the bed, and stalked towards the door. Throwing it open, she shouted, "God will you stop knocking, cant you see I'm trying to sleep!"

She shot the young woman a glare to emphasize her point, but then she noticed who it was that was at her door.

"Serena," the girl asked, and then as if she was sure she was correct, added, "What the hell happened to you?"

Serena stared at the red haired woman for a second longer, before she asked, "Molly? H-how'd you find me?" she hadn't left a number, hadn't told anyone where she went, so how…

"Serena!" the girl shouted, before throwing herself forward. "Molly," she started, looking down at the girl who hugged her fiercely. "Where have you been," the fiery red head demanded, when she finally pulled away.

"Where have I been," she echoed. Slowly she walked back into her hotel, with Molly following her. Her friend shut the door firmly behind her. "Yea, you've been missing for eight days."

Serena turned, "Eight days?" she asked incredulously. When the other girl nodded, the blonde fell back on the bed. She caught her image in the mirror since the door to the bathroom had been left open. Standing back up, she stared at her reflection.

"Damn girl, you look sexy," Molly said, when she got a good look at her friend. "Like I said, what the hell happened to you?"

It wasn't a dream. It was all that she could think about. _All of it, everything had been real._

She wore no shoes, and her socks were missing, because she had lost them back at the pool. Her jeans were dirty and worn out. Holes were forming at her knees, and she had a distinct rip at the back of her left thigh.

Her shirt wasn't any better. It was smudged with dirt, and grass stains. The most stark one was the orange brown stain on her shoulder. The spot where her blood had seeped from the gunshot wound.

Her skin was relatively clean, just accumulated dirt in some places. Her hair was unusually bright and long. Looking down, she held up a few strands of it in her hand.

Someone knocked hard on the door. Both girls looked at it. Serena felt her hopes lift. _Kiba. _Taking a step forward, she would have ran if given the chance. Unfortunately, Molly beat her to the door and pulled it open.

"Oh great!" the short woman muttered, before pulling back to allow an older man into the room.

He was handsome enough, with short ebony locks, and dark blue eyes. He was dressed casually, and yet still covered for the cold weather outside. _When was the sun going to come? Wasn't it summer,_ she thought, even as she looked over the stranger.

"You found her?" the stranger turned to Molly, giving her an unbelievable stare. Molly shrugged, "Yea, and where were you? I knocked on every door, trying to find you." She gave the taller man a withering look.

The man turned back towards her, his eyes giving her a once over. "I went out to get some coffee. But I found something out, and came looking for you, only I couldn't remember your room number." As he spoke, Serena felt his eyes traveling over her figure, before he finally locked eyes with her.

"What kind of news," the red haired woman slammed the door shut and moved to stand between the two. The man shook his head a bit, before he answered, "I saw one of the men. You know, the one you sketched."

Molly glanced over at Serena, with widened eyes. "Yea, which one?"

Serena felt sort of left out, as the two conversed with one another. She had yet to know the young man's name. "The older one, with light hair. That host said he wore it in a ponytail correct?" Molly nodded. "Yea and he wore leather."

Serena moved forward, "Tsume? You saw Tsume?" she asked the man. She only knew one guy who fit that description.

The dark haired man glanced at her. "He was the guy you went to the restaurant with, right? Him and that kid. I saw that guy meet up with another. They were heading North when-"

"No!" Serena lunged at the older guy, and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "When, how long ago," she asked frantically. _They couldn't have left me, _she thought in a panic. _Not now._

"Serena!" Molly shouted, and wrenched the girl away from the stranger. "What has gotten into you?"

Shaking her head, Serena stared at the pair. _Heading North,_ she thought meekly. They were going to paradise without her. Her bottom lip trembled. "I-I need some time…" she started for the bathroom door, ignoring her friend's words, as she entered the room, and shut them out.

----

Serena felt like she was on autopilot as soon as she was alone. Moving about the bathroom, she undressed, and went about prepping for a hot shower. When she was sure the water was nearly boiling, she climbed in, and wrench the curtain shut.

She winced as the scolding water hit her skin repeatedly. But the feel of it made her forget about the tears she desperately wanted to release.

The shower soaked her, and she let it run over her body for a good fifteen minutes, before she started moving. Reluctantly, she took the packet of sample shampoo, and washed her hair, scrubbing out the dirt and rocks, that had accumulated from sleeping on the ground.

Rinsing her hair, became a feat in its own. The task easily distracted her from the thoughts her mind kept wandering to. Once that was finished, and she was sure she had cleaned out of all traces of shampoo, she reached for the fresh bar of soap.

She scrubbed her body raw, rubbing and rubbing, until her skin was red. She continued to scrub, her movements harsh, and rushed.

Serena let the water rinse her body, as she continued to lather more and more soap onto her skin. As she washed, and as she scrubbed, she thought about the last time she bathed. That thought brought along the memory of the night of the full moon. Her mind went over every intricate detail. The memories left her feeling raw inside, while her unconscious washing, left her raw on the outside.

It wasn't until forty minutes into her shower, when the water started to cool. She hardly noticed at first. She had hardly noticed Molly banging on the door, or the man's shouts of concern from behind the locked door of the bathroom. When the water became ice cold, she finally blinked out of her trance. Looking down, she realized that she had been scrubbing her skin with her bare hands, just like that time in the pool.

Clenching her fists, she finally shut the water off, and wrenched the curtain aside. She stared at the door, half expecting to find her white wolf looking at her in interest.

But the door was closed, and she was alone in the bathroom.

Tears filled her eyes, as she gathered some towels, and started drying off her skin. She was vaguely aware of using the towel to dry some of her hair. Looking about herself, she took the white hotel bathrobe, and slipped it on.

Serena left the bathroom, only to find the room she had woken up in, empty. A pair of clean clothes were laid out on the bed. Moving towards them, she spotted a note.

Went to call Nathan, be back in ten, Serena read silently to herself.

Serena dropped the robe, and dressed in the black turtleneck, and khaki pants. She had to use the belt left out, in order to keep the slacks from slipping too low. Simple black socks went on her feet, along with a pair of casual black heels. _Molly's favorite, _she thought.

They felt weird. Moving around the room, she tested out the heels. They looked good with the outfit, but she felt uncomfortable wearing them. But it was all she had to work with at the moment.

Serena walked back into the bathroom, she fished into her pants pocket for her money. Stuffing the wad into her back pocket of her slacks, she decided she would need to do something with her hair.

Since there weren't any scissors, she borrowed one of the ribbons that tied one of the hand towels. Serena braided her hair to the best of her ability, and tied the end with the lavender color ribbon.

Inspecting her image in the mirror, she sighed. She definitely didn't look like the girl she had seen when she had left her apartment. Her reflection showed off someone else's face, one she could hardly recognize.

Serena returned to the room, only to find that Molly and that guy hadn't come back yet. Making her decision, she left the hotel room, not bothering to get the keys. Following the hallway to the elevator, she pressed the button to go down as soon as she reached it.

The others had left her behind. For whatever reason, she planed to follow them.

The doors slid open, so she stepped into the box. "Serena?" The blonde looked up to see her closest friend staring at her from her hotel room door. Lifting her hand, Serena waved, just as the doors closed on her.

In the past, elevators had always felt like they took forever to get anywhere. Today, she had hardly even relaxed when the doors opened again. Stepping out into the lobby, she started for the front doors.

She needed to find a train that was heading North. Maybe she could catch up with the others in the next city. Or maybe even find this Cheza, he was looking for. Kiba had mentioned her last night, when they had ventured out into the city alone together.

----

As she walked down the street of an unfamiliar city, she thought about her last conversation with Kiba. _Paradise. _Kiba was heading to Paradise. _But in order to get there he needed Cheza._ Serena inwardly shivered, she knew that name. And not from just last night either.

Sighing, she reached up and ruffled her bangs. A small smile lifted the corner of her mouth. "Like old times," she muttered to herself. Only instead of the dumplings that dominated her life as a kid through her late teens, it was a braid.

Serena shook her head, and forced herself to pay attention to her surroundings. "I could use a drink," she mumbled aloud. Turning, she went in search for the closest tavern.

Shoving open the wooden door, she entered the crowded bar. Serena raised an eyebrow at the wooden barrels three groups of men used as tables.

Avoiding them, she moved to the counter, which was only occupied by one other person. Taking her chances with the woman, Serena sat down beside the older blonde. The older woman didn't even look at her as she tipped the glass to her lips and finished off whatever she had been drinking.

Serena blinked, her body jerking with surprise as the group of men behind them applauded the woman. For whatever means, Serena wasn't clued in. Ignoring the whistles, and clapping, she waved a hand to the bartender.

"Yea," he asked, as he made his way towards her. Just then the tavern's door opened again.

"Um, can I get like a Pepsi? Cause alcohol and I don't go very well." She smiled sheepishly at the bartender, who replied with a sort of grunt.

On the other side of the older blonde, someone sat down at the counter the two of them sat at. "I'll have your strongest drink," came the gruff order. At the same time the woman ordered, "I'll have a sherry."

Serena watched as the bartender made their drinks. Tilting her head, she was intrigued when together they gulped down their glass and asked for another.

Feeling envious of their able to intake liquor, she turned away. The few times she had consumed alcohol, she had made a horrible fool out of herself.

When the bartender slid her glass towards her, she smiled gratefully. Tipping the glass she drank heartily from it, letting the liquid squelch her thirst. She had only been listening with one ear to the two's conversation, as she finished her drink and ordered another.

It wasn't until she was halfway through her second, when the woman said something that had her choking on her soda. "There are wolves," the woman said with conviction, her voice barely above a whisper. It was a small admission, hardly audible over the chatter, but Serena had heard her clearly. And it appeared so did the man next to her.

Coughing and spluttering, she shoved back her stool, to look at the woman. "Wolves?" she had caught both of their attention, along with the men who sat at the barrels. "You must tell me, please, where did you see them."

The woman stared at her, with heavy lidded eyes. "The ruins," the stranger told her. Serena felt her heart constrict within her chest. "Here, the wolves are here," she asked, barely able to hold back her excitement. She was so close. Already, she might have found them.

It was then though, that she saw the man who had joined them at the counter. He wore a trench coat, over a distinct military uniform, and a hat on his head. Serena stared at him for a second longer than needed, while he looked at her.

"It's you," she said out loud, her eyes widening in recognition. How could she ever forget him? He had raised his rifle ready to kill Toboe-. _No! _she screamed to herself. _He was here to get them. He wanted to kill the wolves._

"You- you shot me," she grappled for something intelligent to say. "It was you!" Pointing a finger at him, she prayed that she played a big enough scene to get the other men riled up to come to her defense. Pulling the collar of her turtle neck down ruthlessly, she showed the scar the bullet had made.

She noticed the recognition in his face when he saw the mark. He knew who she was. But by then, her hopes were answered when two men who had been sitting at one of the barrels stood, and cornered the older gentlemen.

Smirking confidently, she pulled out a couple of bills, slap them down on the counter, and grabbed the older blonde by the arm. Quickly, she pulled her outside where a big dog was trying to snap its leash to break free.

She barely glanced at him, before her eyes were drawn to something ahead of her. Something had just run around the corner. Two men pushed passed her, to chase whoever it was that had run off.

Serena ignored them, and turned to the woman next to her. But the older woman was staring at the two soldiers, as if in a daze. Sighing, the younger blonde realized that in order to get what she wanted, she would have to wait.

----

The next day, after staying at a hotel for the night, Serena went in search for Cher Degre, the blonde woman she had met at the bar the night before. Last night had been a waste of time, since the older woman had been drunk. But today, Serena planned to get all the information she could from her.

Scourging the city took all day. She had looked everywhere for the woman, before heading towards the castle. The older woman had mentioned something about ruins.

Serena stared at the area around her as she walked. She was leaving the city, and entering some kind of forest. Except that there was an open road leading right through it.

Shivering from the cold, she stuffed her hands into her pockets, and picked up her pace. If she didn't find Cher, Serena believed she never would. It was obvious the older woman wasn't planning on staying in this city any longer than Serena was.

Following the dirt path, she sighed. Her feet were beginning to ache, and she was getting hungry. Noodles weren't as satisfying as they used to be. She had been having this strange craving, since she left the hotel four days ago, for something more.

Rubbing her belly, she tried to ignore the odd sounds it made. "Is this… the cemetery of the Darcia family?"

Serena looked ahead of her. Someone stood in the sinking sun, their figure obscured by the blinding light. Moving quickly, the younger woman, was able to make out a defined figure, wearing a light colored coat that nearly reached her knees. "Cher!" Serena called out, trying to catch the older woman's attention.

She started running, wanting to reach the woman before she pulled another disappearing act. "Cher!" She had nearly reached her, when a strong gust of wind tried to shove her forward.

Slowing to a walk, she frowned when the older woman turned to look to her right. Reluctantly, but feeling like she must, she turned to followed the woman's gaze.

A man stood there, clutching a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He was dressed in dark robes, pulled tight to his tall figure.

"Darcia?" Cher asked, which had Serena really looking the man over.

No_ it was impossible, _she told herself. The stories her mother told her were make-believe. Fantasies her mother had created to entertain her, when she had a nightmare.

But even as she tired to reassure herself that the woman was mistaken, Serena felt her fists tighten at her sides. _This could be the man, mom told me about, _she said to herself desperately. Shaking her head, she moved closer to Cher.

Swallowing the collecting saliva in her mouth, she mustered for some means of courage. "Wh-who are you?"

The one eye that wasn't covered looked at her now. It was blue, not dark, but not light either. Its color was vibrant, a certain contrast with the patch that he wore over his other eye.

"Darcia," he said with certainty, not effected by the fact that unlike her companion she didn't know his name.

Shaking her head, Serena replied, "I don't believe you." If he was, who he claimed to be, then the eye behind the patch would be a curse that had been set upon him years ago. That all those who looked upon it, would be put to sleep.

The man descended from the uplift he had been standing on, and made his way towards them. "You do not believe me?" he asked, as he stopped in front of them.

"Darcia is a myth," she said. _Like how wolves were a myth,_ her mind chided. The corner of his mouth lifted in slight amusement. He reached up, almost as if hesitant to do so.

Serena stiffened, her body going rigid in expectation. "You don't believe in who I am and yet you still believe this?"

She stared, as his eyes closed just before he removed the patch over his left eye. She shivered, a coldness seemed to seep inside her. Cher was paralyzed beside her, unwilling to move.

Just before he opened the cursed eye, she looked away. To her horror Cher fell to the ground. The steady fall and rise of her chest hinted to only sleep, though. "Very clever."

When he touched her chin, and tried to force her to look at him, she closed her eyes. "Look at me," he ordered softly, his voice not rising above a soft whisper.

"No," she said in defiance.

"Why?" he asked, his tone light. "You don't believe in the man named Darcia, so prove that he doesn't exist."

That was the problem. She didn't want to know, didn't want to believe. Because if he existed, then so did the others. And that would mean, her whole life had been a lie.

"Open your eyes, and look at me. Prove, that I don't exist," he said gently, his tone soft, even though it was an order.

She felt tears collect in her eyes, threatening to fall. Reluctantly she opened them, the tears burning her eyes, so that she had no choice but to do so.

The first thing she saw was his face, and then his eyes. Both of them stared at her. One blue, while the other was bright gold. _A wolf's eye. _It was what her mother had always called it.

The stories of wolves, and a world covered in flowers. Of a man who sought the flower maiden in hopes to save the woman he loved.

The man with a cursed wolf's eye.

Tears fell from her eyes. _It was all true. _All of that her mother had said. Even the tales of her father's demise had to be true then. She was openly crying, even when the tug on her mind told her she was tired. Tears flowed from her eyes, as her chest rose and fell erratically.

As her eyes began to droop, and sleep seemed to consume her more quickly than ever before, she was still able to grasp what he said before she was taken into the darkness of her own mind.

"How intriguing," he mused, as he watched her, as she was slowly pulled into the curse that had been bestowed upon his eye. "The lost but not forgotten… child…"

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Umm… no comment… lol

Well as you can see the hunt to figure out Serena's past begins. It seems there is more to our little Serena then we all thought… but of course you guys knew that.

Sorry guys, I would write more, but I'm still a little sore, and a little nauseated. I'll answer any questions in the next chapter, if this one confused you. Hope you liked it. It only gets more informative from here on out.

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Reviews:

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Selene: Lol I'm glad I didn't get offed. Thanks for the tip, I pretty much lived off ramen jello and mashed potatos.****

kittydemon(usagi): Why was he grumpy… well it wasn't exactly that he was grumpy, he was scared I guess is the emotion I was getting at. In the anime the wolves acted as they were in heaven when it was the full moon. Well during the full moon the wolf in Kiba had more control, and it was pretty much telling him, have your way with her now! And he was fighting it. You know he didn't want to frighten her, or hurt her… and when she mentioned the others he forgot about everything else. The wolf in him wanted to make her his. And well he did…****

Jypsee: Yea the hair thing I knew would confuse things. I will say this, its part of her genetic code… more will be explained in later chapters. I did have them put me under, and I woke up… the creepy thing is, I remember everything that happened when I woke during the thing, but for the life of my I don't remember who I left the Dentist and got home… I even asked my mom for a video game to rent and cookie dough ice cream… weird what the mind decides to remember and what it wont…

Queen Diamond: I cant believe they made you watch a movie before hand… I would have freaked… mine was bad, since mine were growing into the back of my molars… and the dentist said they had to dig into bone to get them out… which is why mine went so bad… all they did before hand was warn me that I could go permanently numb… ****

Serenity Komoshiro: now isn't that the million dollar question… that question will be answered very soon, I promise.****

Rayne StarDust: haha full of questions yea!!! Silver eyes yes well, I would have to say that would be her powers acting up. No she isn't Cheza but she has something to do with Cheza. Lets go roll in the grass… lmao. Well I pretty much had him have the angel and devil bit happen. The devil, being his wolf side, wanted to roll in the grass, while the angel, human, didn't want to hurt her… well its obvious which side won… and well Serena wasn't complaining. And yes it very much had to do with the full moon. I think their Wolf nature has more control over them under the full moon. ****

Blood River: yes I very much agree a sniper saying oops would be catastrophic. But I think a surgeon would be the worse… alright I am making the incision…. Oops. Even if your under you don't want to hear that…****

Sunshine Fia: I hope this chapter answered your question. :D. Darcia is his name, and the woman he loves is Harmona… I don't remember being cranky afterwards… since I don't remember aft wards at all. I do remember waking up, and panicing.. Because I could still feel them working my mouth. I tried to suck in all the (hmm cant think of the stuff.. Laughing gas?) I could so that I could put myself under… it was terrifying… but yea it went okay… lots of pain though…

Hn: In this story, Serena is not a wolf… She's something else, actually.****

CrystalBlueSeraph: uhhh yes they did do the horizontal tango…****

Kagero: No no no no no and no… Cheza is not going to be bad at all. I am so sorry I made it seem like that. No I was just turning the tables… Serena was getting jealous instead of the other way around when Kiba gets jealous. No Cheza plays an important background to Serena, something she learns very soon. ****

Raepan: Yikes, why did you have another surgery, if that's not too personal… But yea I'm fine, mine weren't fully to develop either… I guess they had to go all the way to bone in order to get mine out… it was crucial since mine were growing into the back of my molars… I'm glad you liked my story, and thanks for the boost of confidence… so far things are only painful. ttyl

Concrete Tenshi: Thanks!!! You have no idea how worried I was about that romance scene. I was sure I was going to screw it up… so do I. What Toboe said were actually my thoughts. When watching Wolf's Rain I could help but get frustrated with Kiba at times, because he just has to find paradise… when its actually not a place, but actually what you have. Paradise is there, you just have to really look to see it sometimes… lol I know I made him into a bad guy there huh… but he was actually looking after her own good you know. She would have survived, and Tsume didn't want Kiba dragging her to her death, just because he wanted to. No they cant. To then Serena is an ordinay human who smells exceptionally good…yep her hair grew because of the full moon… :D yep, you're on a roll… the full moon, and that raw meat are wakening up something, that has been squelched inside Serena since she was a child. Serena just got jealous, because of the feelings Kiba showed when he mentioned the girl. And this chapter should answer your last question.

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	10. Chapter ten

Welcome back, to another Monday and another chapter of Nobility.

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Ages: I think we know the ages by now, if not refer to the earlier chapters. If you still want them posted, ask, and I shall do as you command. hehe

Thanks goes out to those who reviewed, **thank you so much**.

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Hacen, Water Angel1, Lady Light, Selene, pumpunita, setsuna-3000, jypsee, BlueFrost, Serenity Komoshiro, Kittydemon(usagi), GambitGirl2008, Rayne StarDust, Raepan, Serendy4evr, Flame Ivy Moon, AmberEyez06, PurpleRose44, keika bee, Sunshine Fia, me, Kagero, Blood River, lunathelune, lildevil0644, Senshi's Tenshi, Lady Tristana Rouge, Hn, Concrete Tenshi, Mesu Juu-Chan, Chaos, Serenity Moon2.

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Warnings: I hate to say this, but yes, there is a hint of a spoiler in this chapter. Not much, but a little. Basically this chapter crosses paths with Episode 14, but I put it into my own words. Some things happen in the episode, but its mostly all me. I don't think it will ruin the show, but if it does, I am terribly sorry.

After this, no more spoilers, guarantee.

Now… sit back, relax, and enjoy…

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Chapter ten:

The Truth can Always Hurt

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Lost but not forgotten.

The words echoed through her tired mind, even as she opened her eyes. She was lying on something soft, and yet hard, in some places.

Groaning, she blinked her eyes open to look at the room she was in. "What?" she started, and quickly realized that her voice was awfully dry, and hurt when she spoke.

Serena lifted herself up, so that she could see what she was lying on. "Oh my god," she said, not caring that her voice cracked.

She was lying on a body! Panicking, she wrenched herself back, fearing that the woman, who laid naked beneath her, was dead.

Accidentally she bumped into a thin wire that hung from the ceiling and connected to the woman's arm. She froze, her body stiffening for a second, as the sound she had created echoed throughout the room. Once silence descended on her again and no one came rushing in, guns drawn, Serena made sure she was more careful about climbing off the body. Shivering, she rubbed at her arms, as she looked around the room.

The place was practically empty.

Serena turned around, and looked at the girl lying motionless on a bedlike structure. She had pale skin, so pale that it looked as if she had never been touched by the light of day. Her pale green hair was long and silky looking. The strands flowed around her, covering her in the needed areas, and also long enough that parts of it laid on the ground.

Gingerly, Serena touched her own hair. When she looked down, she realized that the braid had been undone. But the most startling news was she the wasn't wearing Molly's clothes anymore. The outfit her best friend had let her barrow was gone, and she was dressed in some sort of gown.

"What the hell," she said aloud, her voice echoing in the empty room.

"So the rumors are true." Serena started, whipping around at the sound of another voice. Frowning, she stared at the woman dressed in golden armor. A helmet fit securely on her head, with long purple hair falling behind her.

"Who are you," Serena asked cautiously.

The woman smirked, the corner of her red lips lifting into a smile. "We all thought you were dead," she said finally, causing Serena to shiver. Her voice was kind of creepy as it echoed about the room.

"Harmona," the woman spat, when she looked over Serena's shoulder. "He hasn't given up on her yet," she said aloud, her voice laced with venom.

When the stranger reached for the sword she had tied to her waist, Serena moved forward. Using her body, she blocked the taller woman from the one behind her. "Oh?" the woman tilted her head. "You think you can protect that wench?" she asked, her voice etched with amusement.

"If you plan to harm her, yes," Serena answered with bravery she didn't feel. She eyed the broad sword wearily. How could she go up against something like that?

"Brave words for a halfling."

Serena lifted her head, her eyes staring at the woman's covered face. "Halfling," she echoed. _What did she mean by that,_ she wondered silently.

The older woman slid her sword free from its sheath, and held it out for the young blonde to see. "Yes, halfling. But I bet your beloved mother never told you," the woman crooned.

Serena's mind raced, grasping at all the stories her mother had told her as a child. "It doesn't matter," the stranger said, her voice sounding impatient. "This ends now."

She had barely had a chance to grasp the other woman's meaning, before the armor clad woman rushed her. Stepping back, she brought her arms up over her head to protect herself. Her skin began to tickle, the flesh prickling, as if her body had fallen asleep.

The woman brought the handle of the sword down, "Oh no you don't!"

Serena let out a cry, before the handle was slammed hard against her head. Light exploded before her eyes, and she felt her body crumple to the hard floor.

Darkness began to eat away at her vision.

The last thing she saw before she slipped into unconscious, was the tall woman bringing down her sword on a hose that connected to the bed the sleeping woman laid on.

Tears collected in her eyes, as her eyelids closed on the sight she saw.

----

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"Mommy, why do I have to keep my hair so long?" a three year old girl asked, as she fingered the long blonde strands. She glanced at the woman who sat on the edge of her bed.

The older woman sighed, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile. "Because your father would have wanted it that way."

"My father?" the girl asked, her voice filled with hope.

The child's mother nodded sadly, the smile easily slipping into a frown. "Yes. He would have liked your hair to be long, as it is a tradition in his family."

The young girl nodded, as she nibbled on the ear of her stuffed bunny. "Mommy, will you tell me about daddy?"

"I could," the older woman said thoughtfully. "Yes, maybe its time I did tell you about him." The older woman shifted on the bed, so that she could be comfortable. After that, she fingered the blanket that her daughter slept with. "Your father," she started, her voice thick with emotion. "Was the guardian of the flower maiden."

The child eagerly sat up from where she laid on her bed. "The flower maiden," she asked. Her eyes brightened at the very words.

"It was said," her mother continued. "That the flower maiden was the key to finding paradise. It was your father's duty to watch over her."

Shifting in her bed trying to get comfortable, the younger girl stared at her mother in interest. "A man named Oakum came years ago, and tried to steal the flower maiden. He wanted her so that he could find his way to paradise.

"You're father thwarted Oakum's attack. But by doing so, he sacrificed his life."

Tears filled the young girl's eyes. "He- he protected the flower girl?"

Her mother nodded, before she pulled the child into her arms. "He stood before the flower maiden, and protected her."

Burying her face into her mother's shirt, the young girl whispered, "I don't like this story mommy."

"I don't like this story, at all," she continued to sob, as tears fell from her eyes.

As the dream began to fade, she heard her mother say softly, **"I know Serena, that is why you wont remember any of it."**

----

__

Crying? Someone was crying.

Serena groaned. Her head felt like it was being split open. Struggling, she tried to open her eyes. Her vision was red, and shapes were distorted.

What happened? she wondered. Weakly, she rolled over so that she laid on her back. Her vision swam, making her nauseous. Her head hurt more than anything though.

With slow movements, she lifted her hand so that she could wipe at what was blinding her. When she pulled her hand back, she found herself staring at something sticky, and darker than the haze that surrounded her.

Blood, her mind screamed. She was bleeding!

"Coming," a small voice whispered close by, breaking the silence. Turning her head, Serena looked at the body that laid near hers. _Who? _She could barely make out a girl with short hair. The color was undistinguishable with her blurry vision. But it did look like she was wearing a bright coat, with matching boots.

"Coming," the girl said again, her eyes slowly opening.

Red, the one color she could make out around her. The girl's eyes appeared to be red, but Serena wouldn't put her money on it. The girl wasn't all that far from her, lying on her side, and yet she couldn't even tell what the girl's hair color was.

Serena was startled when the girl started to move. The girl was either weak from fatigue, or as sore as Serena felt, for she had to really struggle to get up. It took her a few tries to get to her hands and knees. From there the movements seemed easier, but she was clearly struggling to stand.

Once she was on her feet, she stood there, staring at the wall as if in a daze. Lost in her own thoughts… Then as if expecting someone, jerked around to face the doors, which were quite a distance away from them.

Groaning, Serena fought back the rising nausea as she tried to look as well. The double doors, which had looked ominously closed, swung open. A figure, whose shape was distorted by distance and her lack of foresight, stood in the doorway.

"Cheza!" the person cried, his voice echoing around the room.

----

Kiba lifted his nose to the air when a familiar scent assaulted his nose. _No_, he thought, his head shaking in denial. _It wasn't possible, _a part of him tried to assure him. He had left her behind. Had given her the chance to return to her life.

They why…?

He lifted his nose higher, taking in the scent that lingered in the air. Faint, so faint, and yet he could smell it. Could tell where it led him. _She was here_, he argued. It wasn't possible that he was wrong. That the scent he smelled wasn't Serena.

Serena, he whispered the name. And how often had he howled to the moon, hoping that she could hear him? How many times had he sniffed the air wanting to catch her scent? And how many times had she interfered with his thoughts, distracting him from his journey?

Too many.

He had hoped that leaving her behind would help him. Help them, and protect her. If he knew she was safe, then he wouldn't worry. If she was home, then he could search for paradise, and protect Cheza.

But he had been wrong.

Without her being there, his mind wandered and his senses weakened. He failed in protecting Cheza, because he had been too worried about Serena. Without her, he found himself worrying over her safety. How could he know she was safe, with hundreds of miles between them?

He had been wrong in listening to Tsume. Leaving Serena behind had only made things worst.

And now Cheza had been taken from them.

Without a word to his comrades, Kiba rushed out from the shelter they had found. They were close, so close. Stopping would hurt more, then help them.

As he ran, his form shifted into that of his wolf one. His paws pounded against the Earth, tearing up the terrain at he ran. He couldn't stop, not when he was so close to finding her again.

He reached the castle within hours. The sky had already darken, while when he had started, it had been morning. As he raced through the open doors, his form shifted, taking his human image once more.

On two feet, he didn't move as fast, which helped ease the burn in his lungs, and the ache in all four limbs. He entered a large room, his feet coming to a stop, as his eyes scanned the walls. His nose sniffed at the air. _Serena_! he called out in his mind, knowing that she was here, along with Cheza.

Kiba raced towards the stairs, taking them two at a time. A hole in the wall had him jumping. He covered it in one leap, his feet landing with a thud on the second level. _So close, so very close._

He didn't hesitate, but as soon as he landed he was running. He came to a long hallway, that led to a pair of large black doors. _There, in there_, he shouted in a rush. Excitement coursed through him, pushing him beyond his limit.

Near the end of the hall, his shoes slid across the floor, nearly throwing him into the door. His eyebrows drew together as he stared at the blood that spilled across the marble. The body that laid near the wall didn't go unnoticed by him. _Its not her_, his mind tried to reason with him.

Growling, Kiba shoved the doors open, and rushed inside. His eyes moved quickly, taking in everything at once. His eyes fell on the person standing in the middle of the room. "Cheza!" he shouted, knowing it was her. A part of him sighed with relief, while another tightened. _Not here_, the part cried. He could smell her, her scent thick, in the air of the large room. But he couldn't see her.

Gone, he wondered. Something twisted sharply inside, nearly sending him staggering on his feet. Her scent had led him here. _How could she be gone_?

"Kiba," he heard, the voice hardly above a whisper. Frowning, Kiba shook himself from his troubled thoughts. He needed to pay attention. He couldn't lose her again, not when he had lost her three times already.

Resigning himself, Kiba took a step towards the Flower Maiden. He needed to focus. He needed to protect Cheza now. Once he had found Paradise he would search for Serena, and bring her back with him.

He saw the figure too late. The man who had clung to the shadows that warped the room raced forward, his body a blur. _What? _Kiba blinked, his eyes widening, as the man attacked Cheza. His hand wrapped around the girl's fragile neck, and he lifted her up off her feet.

Kiba gasped, his body going rigid as anger seized him. Cheza cried out, her body dangling in the air. The man only tightened his hold on the girl's throat.

"Cheza!" he shouted, feeling utterly useless.

----

Serena gasped, her mouth opening in shock. The man had moved so fast! She had hardly seen him. The movement in the air was all that had hinted to his sudden attack. And even then she hadn't been sure what was happening. Not until he had already struck.

"Cheza!" the person who stood in the doorway shouted. The Flower Maiden, the one Darcia held in his grasp, had called the person Kiba. That blood that clung to her face, and ran into her eyes warped her vision, making it hard for her to see. Reaching out, she groped for something that could help her up. Anything would have been nice, but it appeared she wasn't close to anything to use as a leverage.

The girl cried out again, as the man tightened his hold on the girl's neck.

No! something inside of her roared.

Serena gasped, her hand flying to the front of her gown, to grab at her heart. A small whimper escaped her parted lips.

On its own accord, her body began to move. Where she didn't have the strength before, something fueled her muscles to move now. _What am I doing? _she thought in a panic.

Like a doll, her arms and legs moved clumsily, till she was on her knees, and then finally on two feet that struggled to hold her. _How? _When she looked up, she felt like she was seeing through someone else's eyes. She had no control over her own limbs, for they moved themselves.

----

Kiba stiffened. His body, which had been prepared to leap into action, froze. Movement behind Darcia, had him frozen to the spot.

Serena…

He could see her, even at such a distance. _What is she doing here_, he wondered, his eyes moving quickly to take in her appearance. His eyes blazed with fury when he saw the blood. It trickled down from the top of her head. A thick stream ran into her eyes, but she hardly seemed to notice.

She was also oddly dressed in a white gown of some sorts. The fabric hardly fit her small form.

As she climbed to her feet, she seemed to struggle for a moment, before she was able to stand. Her body shook from the effort to hold her up. _What is she doing?_

A low growl sounded from deep within his throat, and unconsciously his form shifted to his wolf. His fur stood up on end, as he voiced his displeasures. The man smirked, his eyes faintly glowing. Then, before anyone could react, Darcia tossed Cheza aside. And like a rag doll she crumpled into a heap on the floor. The sound she made had Kiba taking action.

With a snarl, Kiba leaped for the Noble's throat. He snapped and growled, trying to get a hold on the man, who struggled to evade his attacks. With one eye, Kiba kept close eye on Serena, as she made her way towards Cheza. The rest of him was focused on tearing the man in front of him, apart.

Landing, Kiba hardly stopped to catch his breath, before he lunged. The man withdrew his sword, and swung. He barely avoided the blade, but managed to clench his teeth around the man's unprotected arm.

Darcia howled with raged, and he brought the butt end of his sword down on the wolf's head. With a yelp Kiba let go, and hit the ground several feet away. The two gasped for breath, as they stared at one another. His lips curled back, showing his bloody teeth. He could still taste the man's foul blood on his tongue. It was nearly enough to make him retch from the feel of it.

Kiba tensed, his body ready for the man to attack him. But instead, Darcia whirled around and raced towards the unprotected pair. Panicking, Kiba raced after the man, but knew he wouldn't be able to make it in time.

"Serena!"

----

Serena felt frozen for a moment in time, as the two attacked. It was a battle of wits. A fight for survival. The sight of blood had her eyes filling with tears, and she wanted to help the white wolf. With Darcia's back to her, she could have probably been of some help. Distract him long enough to help Kiba get in a good hit.

But instead, she found herself dropping down beside Cheza, who laid unconscious on the ground. _What is wrong with me!_ Serena cried out in her head. She would have screamed if she could. Her body was moving on autopilot and the button was jammed.

A howl had her head jerking to attention. She looked up to see Kiba dangling from the man's arm. _Kiba_, she whispered, wanting to give him her strength. But she had none to spare.

Serena winced, her eyes watering when Darcia slammed the end of his sword onto the wolf's head. Her eyes followed the wolf as he landed safely away from the man dressed in black robes. _He's okay_, she tried to tell herself. But it didn't stop the flow of tears.

Despite the fact that she wanted to help Kiba, another part of her had her looking back at the girl who laid motionless behind her, she shivered. The very thought of this girl being hurt had somehow fueled her with strength she didn't have. But when the girl had actually been hurt, Serena had been able to move across the room even though before she could hardly work her arms.

"Serena!"

The shout had her jerking out of her thoughts of the Flower Maiden. Slowly, as if unable to move any quicker, she turned towards the cry. She drew in a started gasp, her eyes widened, as saw Darcia running towards her. She moved, her arms throwing themselves out to protect the girl lying on the floor.

The tip of the man's blade came to stop inches from her neck. "You're in my way," he said, his eyes staring down at her in hatred.

In his way… Serena wondered. He could have easily cut right through her to get to Cheza if he wanted. What could be holding him back? It was then she saw the faint impression of glass. It was hardly noticeable, unless you really looked. But just centimeters from the man's blade was a thin barrier that surrounded herself and the girl behind her. It's shape was like a large bubble.

"I wont let you hurt her," she said with confidence she didn't quite feel. It was like before, when that woman had shown up. For reasons unknown to her, Serena found herself putting herself in danger to protect another.

"Serena," the sound of his voice was refreshing, after so long of not hearing it. Her eyes flickered to him, since she was unable to moved her head. He stood just a few feet away, his body a mass of white fur. He was gorgeous. Seeing him made her heart pound within her chest, and made her lungs heave as if she couldn't draw in enough air.

She had found him again. She wouldn't lose him, whether he wanted her around or not, she wasn't going to let him walk out of her life without a fight. She loved him too much.

Against her will, she stood. The tip of the sword followed, but couldn't touch her. Darcia looked into her eyes then, now that she stood once more in front of him. It was like that time in the graveyard. _How long ago was that_, she wondered. _How much time has passed?_

In the back of her mind she could feel the pull of the curse from his golden eye. But the barrier that protected her seemed to weaken it. Unlike last time, she could fight the pull of sleep.

"You're so much like him," he said softly. He spoke so low, that she had to strain to hear it. "You must really be Tsuki's daughter." The blade lowered, the tip hitting the ground with a clink. The barrier in front of her faded, as if it knew that the danger was over. He shoved the sword towards her, thrusting the handle into her hands before she could move. Her hands grabbed it before it could fall, and she held it with both hands in order to keep it from dropping. The weight was astounding.

Darcia turned from her then and began to walk away. She stared at his back in surprise, wondering what could have changed his mind. He seemed like he had really wanted to kill them, but he was giving up. _Why? _Why would the fact that she was like her father, change his mind? She had never met the man since he had died before she had been born. But she had her mother's stories. _But they aren't stories, _she admitted finally. _They're real._

A wave of dizziness had her swaying on her feet. The control over her body slipped away, and she stumbled forward. The strength she once had evaporated from her form, leaving her feeling sick to her stomach and weak with fatigue.

"Serena," he said, sounding so close.

She looked up, and her hands released the sword in order to wrap themselves around his neck to cling. "Kiba," she cried hoarsely, tears flooding her eyes. "You're okay."

His arms moved to hold her around the waist, pulling her up close. "Serena," he whispered again, his face buried in the crook of her neck. He breathed in deeply, and his arms tightened around her. "I'll never let you go," he said fiercely, his fingers digging into her sides.

Serena nodded, her arms tightening their hold on him. Her hands moved to run through his hair. "Oh Kiba… I-" she was cut off, by a shout.

"Kiba!"

The two turned to see the rest of the wolves arrive. "Get out of here!" Tsume roared, his voice sounding frantic. Toboe and Hige were running towards them, when a bright red laser ripped through the ceiling. The pair cried out, as the explosion it created threw them back.

"Toboe!" Tsume shouted from the doorway.

"Hige!" another voice, one Serena didn't recognize, shouted.

Horror filled her as chunks of stone, and debris were thrown in their direction. Kiba turned them around, protecting her as the ceiling crumbled around them. Serena fisted her hands around the front of his jacket, crying out with each jerk he made when he was hit.

"We need to get out of here," he whispered roughly. He let her go, but didn't let her move away too far. Serena nodded, and moved to help Cheza. Another beam of lasers cut through the ceiling, tearing up the floor. The path it created blocked off the other's access to them.

"Kiba!" Tsume shouted from where he had to stop short. The chasm before him was deep and wide. Kiba turned, his expression calm. "Help the others!" he called in reply, before he turned to help her.

Serena pulled away, as Kiba lifted Cheza up into his arms. He took hold of her hand, and started forward, searching for an exit.

A hole that had been created in the wall, had Kiba running in that direction. Serena stumbled to stay on her feet, but smacked into Kiba, when he drew up short. "What-" she began to ask, as she looked out from behind him.

She gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of the things dressed in black armor. They swarmed in through the hole like angry bees. Each one withdrew their weapons. "Grab her," Kiba said, and he shoved the Flower Maiden into her arms.

Before Serena could say anything, Kiba's image rippled. She blinked, her eyes focusing on the white wolf, as he ran ahead to attack the soldiers. "Kiba," she whispered, her eyes trying to keep him in sight.

"Run!" he shouted as his tore into one of the black armor suits.

Where, she wondered, even though she was already turning on her feet. Where could she run?

Serena pulled up short, what little air she had in her lungs rushing out in her surprise. Her arms tightened around the girl she held to her chest. Blocking her escape was a line of soldiers, dressed in black armor. _Where did they come from? _she asked herself.

The group moved forward as a union, causing her to take a step back in fear. She screamed, unable to do anything else. Before she could act, one of the soldiers moved towards her.

"Serena!" Kiba shouted, having heard her scream.

She barely had time to flinch, before the soldier rammed the butt of his sword down on her head.

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Poor Serena… she is so going to have a migraine. I hope this chapter is to your satisfaction… If not, I will willingly get on my knees and allow you to throw your tomatoes at me.

I did write this chapter four times, so please be somewhat gentle with me… But I think I am finally happy with it… well I better be, I guess. :D

I know, not a whole lot of action, I'm still working on those skills in writing. But this chapter did contain quite a bit of information…

I'm assuming you all now know who Serena is and why she is so special. The golden woman gave away quite a hint in the beginning.

I must apologies for some things. This story isn't exactly actiony… its more adventurous, and romance. Sorry about that. Until I am better at it, it will continue to be poorly done…

After this chapter, this story will never cross with the original show. Well except chapter eleven does have a small tid bit, about the ride on the aircraft, but that is all, and the only similarities, is where Cheza is, nothing else. After that it is all me.

Also, I would like to explain the time. The last two chapters, only crosses with the show, of what I explained. So how Kiba and the other's found Cheza is up to your own imagination. Serena spent six days out in the middle of nowhere with the wolves. And then from the time she left the hotel to when Darcia kidnapped her, was four days. Then two days pass, and she meets the golden armor woman, and then five days pass before she wakes to find herself hurting, and meets Cheza. So this means, the month of June is coming to close.

Yay!

Anyway, **Important information**, I am sorry for any extra mistakes. I wrote the chapter for the fourth time last night, because I was depressed about what I had before. So if there is a lot of errors, I am sorry.

Now for what you've all been waiting for…

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Reviews:

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Hacen: I know what you mean. I would love to be able to read more WR crossover. Hopefully more people will come out with more. What is Serena? Well I will say after this chapter the information starts to spill, so just hold out a little longer.

Selene: That's not it, but I was wondering could I use that idea for another story… It sounds really cool. It soooo puts me in the mind of Galarins, (don't think I spelled that right). But its a PS2 game, and now a movie.

Pumpunita: Hey no prob, I don't expect you guys to review, even though it nice… but if you cant, you cant. No biggy, as long as you keep reading, and tell me every once and a while how I'm doing. Amara and Michelle… well I guess I could say Amara does… you'll see her later. Umm.. I think this chapter answered your other questions… and actually I am curious about your name… its really cool… unlike my generic one… :D

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setsuna-3000: Umm the man… I'm assuming you mean Darcia, (If I'm wrong tell me). Okay, Darcia is a Noble, as for what noble is that is a little hard to explain. But, he's pretty old has lived for lots of years. He's in love with Harmona, and is searching for Paradise to save her. I think Harmona has some kind of disease that can only be cured by going to paradise which is why he needs Cheza. Uhh… oh yes, also Darcia is half wolf, I.e. the golden eye he has. I'm not sure how he has it, but his eye is cursed. And one look at it, puts people to sleep. Which is why he wears the patch. Umm that's all I really know about him. You could get more I think from websites. The ones I go to are and http:www.moonstruck.nu/wolfs-rain/characters.html. Check them out if you want…

Jypsee: Lol… Um that story is kind of on the back burner. I'm not all that happy with it. If I did continue it, I would more than likely have to go back an rewrite what I have already rewritten. Sorry, its not on my top priorities, because I don't feel like I did a good enough job on it.

Rayne StarDust: To begin with, I really like your name. I love the name Rayne… Sorry to say this, but no Serena isn't a Wolf… she's something else entirely. I will be writing a story where she is a wolf though… the lost forgotten Child. Darcia meant by that… well I cant really say… its pretty much means she's important to their world… but for some reasons she's taken away. So to them she is lost, but they never forgot her. Hope that helps…

Raepan: Oh wow. That is really scary. My god, I would have been terrified… I am sooooooo glad things turned out okay. Yea I am still only able to eat stuff like that. Bread is hard because it falls into the holes in the back of my mouth… last thing I need is to get infected… so I hardly ever eat, and if I do its minimal… but man when my mom made Spaghetti I began to drool… I am sooooo tired of mashed potatoes, macaroni, and ramen… anyway. Lol… I don't think I could have ever ate that… I bow down to you. How you could eat that… wow… But its good see that even through such an ordeal, your okay. :D I'm am very glad you liked my story, because I am grateful to get to know you. Take care.

Serendy4evr: Lol, yea I was glad when I woke up afterwards… yikes… I have never been hospitalized. I'm sorry that you had to. My dad has, and having to visit him there was horrible, having to stay much me worst. Hey glad you like it. :D

Flame Ivy Moon: I thought I would get a lot of these questions… Um what I mean is that, Serena is very important to their world. Her purpose I mean. But before she was born, she's taken away, and they cant find her. So to them, Serena is considered lost, but they wont forget her. I hope that helps.

Sunshine Fia: Yea, sorry about that… this chapter at first was meant to revolve about after Serena was left behind. Her being lost, but not forgotten… and then I change my mind when I added Cher, and the others into the plot. Actually I was able to eat mashed potatoes and noodles. As for cleaning I had to rinse my mouth out with salt water. Most nastiest thing the world… having to do it willingly that is… Actually I am doing just fine… thanks. :D. sore, but living…

Me: Well you weren't the only one… but its good to hear from you again. :D

Senshi's Tenshi: Yes, you are right. The fact that it took her longer to effect her, was because of who she is… hence Darcia's understanding who she is in the end. Yea, Cheza is childlike, which helped me come up with the idea of the ending for this chapter. I have plans for Cheza. :D Yea, I'm not sure if he ever mentions it in the show, but I think Tsume isn't happy having someone like Kiba leading them around. I love Concrete Tenshi's story… I envy her, for her great skill in writing.. I'm glad you like it as well… is deserves to be reviewed a lot! And I hope more people write this type of crossover. I know I am a fan…

Hn: hehe… is it possible? Well you know, truly I don't… I mean they are wolves, who can become Human… in my opinion, I think the creator of Wolf's Rain messed up in that area… there is a weakness I think in this part of the story, about the Wolves becoming human… mainly having to do with what goes on in the show… such as when Tsume reached for the kid, he actually bit the kids shoulder… and yet Kiba can hold Cheza like a human can hold someone. Its shaky… I must admit, I have contemplated on making her pregnant. And if anyone else reads this, will know that in later chapters… I do say that she is. I hope this wont ruin the effect of the story for you, but it sort of helps tie in the plot later on. As for the full moon bit, yes what happened that night was the part of Serena that has been buried for years resurfacing.

Concrete Tenshi: Well think this chapter answers a lot of your questions. Yes Serena is in a lot of trouble, and it only gets worst for her, here on out. Just wait until you meet her mom… Yea I think I should have wrote something on the wolves. Which is why I rewrote this chapter last night. So that you guys can get a feel on how Kiba and Co are doing… :D glad you like it.

Mesu Juu-Chan: Well I don't want you doing that! I mean we all make mistakes. But I am glad that you decided to give my story a chance. :D thanks****

Well that is all. I hope you guys enjoy your week, I look forward to reading your reviews! Until next Monday, all of you drive safely, look both ways when you cross a street, and give your family hugs and kisses.

Take care until next time on Nobility!

LP


	11. Chapter eleven

This chapter is tame, but I hope you guys will still enjoy it.

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Um warnings: there is one, mild language, I did tell you, that some L would appear in later chapters… here it is. No more spoilers…

I would like to thank you guys for all of the reviews, it was absolutely wonderful to read them.

Thanks: **serena-bunny-hime, Lday Light, cosmos unicorn, CrystalBlueSeraph, Rayne StarDust, BlueFrost, Selene, Serenity Komoshiro, me, Cat Demon, Black Lion, kittydemon(usagi), Concrete Tenshi, arianna, DragonFly, Sunshine Fia, Mesa Juu-Chan, GambitGirl2008, Seshiru Hikari, Catsie Hunter, Libitina De Averna, hokuikai, Hn, Flam Ivy Moon, Lady Tristana Rogue, Raepan, Xtreme Nuisance, Senshi's Tenshi, blackrosebunny451.**

And so the plot about Serena begins to unfold… what was she thinking when she decided to take in a wolf… definitely not what she got.

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Chapter eleven:

Escapades within an Escape

She wasn't sure how she had wound up in a bed after the night she'd had. But when Serena opened her eyes that was were she found herself.

Sitting up, she looked around the small enclosed room with a frown marring her features. The room was simple, nothing grand. The bed she laid in was about the size of a twin, and was shoved against the far wall near a window. It was the only piece of furniture that she could make out.

Wearily she raised her hand to touch the top of her head. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as before, but it was still tender. Pulling her hand back, she stared at her fingers.

Relieved that not only did she lack the sticky substance from before, but she could also see. Red didn't dominate her vision any longer.

With a small sigh, she threw off the blankets. To her surprise, the clothes she had been wearing earlier were gone. In its place was a white nightgown. Or what she presumed to be a nightgown. The cloth was thin, with frilly lace that decorated the collar, and the end of the long sleeves. The gown was also lacking in form, since it fit the same on her, from her knees to her chest, it was quite loose.

Planting her feet on the cool floor, she stood. Her strength seemed to have returned, while her exhaustion had been cured. Testing herself, she took a step forward. At least she didn't collapse, or stumble.

Once sure that her body wouldn't fail her, she made her way the door that sat on the wall farthest from the bed. She tried the door handle, hoping that she wasn't locked inside. She was in luck, the handle turned and she gave the heavy door a shove outward.

It eased open, allowing her a sense of freedom. Upon leaving the room, she found herself in a long empty hallway. Like the room, the hallway lacked comfort. The floor was hard, and the walls were barren. Pictures, and furniture were lacking as well.

A door a little ways down from her, opened. Looking up, she watched as a young man shut the door he had come out of.

Worried, Serena pressed her back against it, wishing she hadn't bothered to shut it so soon. She could hardly run for her life, or even hide inside her room. Both possibilities were out of the question. One, the young man had already seen her and two, he could easily out run her.

He was handsome enough, with dark skin and strong features. His body was shaped like a sculpture, almost too good looking to be real. His hair was kept rather long and loose, the silvery white strands reaching his shoulders. Cool blue eyes held her glued to her spot, as he took several long strides to reach her.

"Good morning," he greeted, as soon as he stopped in front of her. He was picture perfect in her mind, with not even a single flaw showing. "How is your head," he inquired, his voice thoughtful.

Immediately, Serena reached up to touch the tender spot. The corner of the man's lips lifted almost into a smile. "Better I'm assuming, or you would still be sleeping."

He stepped aside, making room for her if she decided to walk away. "Lady Jagara, apologies, for the necessity of striking you," he said smoothly, his voice like silk. Just listening to him, sent shivers running through her. _Who was this guy_, she wondered.

Looking at his face, she tried to find some kind of humanity in him. With such perfection, he almost appeared inhuman. No flaws, nothing that could link him to reality. Or what she had thought was reality.

Serena touched her forehead, trying to massage the headache that was threatening to form. "What day, I mean where…" she frowned, frustrated with her sudden incompetence.

The infuriatingly good looking man smirked, "the day would be three days passed the new moon." Serena looked up at him, confusion written on her face. "What?" Heat burned in her cheeks, when she realized that while she had been looking away, his eyes had dropped from her face to look at the rest of her.

Stubbornly, she crossed her arms over her chest and shot him a cold look. He chuckled with mirth, which only fueled her anger. But he managed to easily deflate its growth by saying, "Humans would consider it the 1st of July."

"What!" she shouted, staring at the older man incredulously. Too shocked to even move on her own, the stranger took her arm and hooked it at his elbow. With ease, he pulled her down the hallway. "We are heading to Jagara's castle, where you will be a guest."

Snapping out of her stupor, Serena asked, "Jagara? Is she that woman in the armor? The one who tried to kill me?"

Lines appeared above his brow, while his lips formed a frown. "I believe kill is too strong of a word."

Shaking her head, Serena replied, "No, its not too strong. It's the perfect word for what that bitch did to me!" Ignoring the look he gave her, she continued on. "I mean it was bad enough waking up in some strange place and thinking that the only other person there might be dead, wasn't thrilling.

"But then… then Jagara?" she asked, while she explained herself. His curt nod was enough to have her moving on. "She wanted to attack that woman. The one with really long hair, hair longer than mine!" Serena held up a handful of her blonde mass. "And she hit me over the head!"

Just thinking about it, made her wince. With her free hand she touched the spot.

"Well," the man started saying while he lead her aimlessly down another corridor. "You were in the way."

"In the way," Serena replied in a shrill voice. "Well of course I was in the way. I couldn't just _let _her kill someone."

They walked in silence for some time, until Serena couldn't take it any longer. "Why am I here, anyway? I mean, this Jagara didn't seem all that happy to know that I was alive."

The taller man, who towered over her a good head and half, led her through a doorway and into what appeared to be a dinning room. It was particularly empty.

When he didn't answer right away, she looked up at him, her patience wearing thin already. He was staring ahead of them, while they walked towards another door. When he did speak, he seemed to choose his words carefully. "Lady Jagara knows now who you really are. After you met Cheza, it was quite clear."

As they entered another hall, Serena felt herself asking, "After I met Cheza?"

The older man nodded and didn't seem interested on adding more. But by then they had reached a set of stairs that led down. Letting her arm go, he stood motionless for a second longer than she was willing to wait.

Impatient with his aloofness and the cold shoulder he seemed to be giving her, she turned on him. Opening her mouth she was about to barrage him with a ton of questions, when he stopped her. And all he did was turn towards her and placed both of his hands on her shoulders.

Startled, she looked up at him in a panic. _What does he think he's doing?_ Bending his head down towards hers, he held himself back hardly an inch from her face. "It is not my place to say. You should ask your mother, before you go to someone else for these kinds of questions," he said in a soft whisper.

"Cheza is down below," he added, his eyes focused solely on her. "Go down these stairs, down the hall to the door at the very end. In there you need to find a cage." He let her go, so that he could reach for something inside the jacket of his gray suit. When he removed his hand, he held out a key. "This will unlock the cages."

Serena gingerly took the key from him. Casting him a suspicious look, she asked, "why are you helping me."

Shaking his head, he ignored the question. "It doesn't matter. If you plan to escape, now would be the time. Once we arrive at Jagara's castle, it will be too late." Serena sighed, but took the answer anyway. Starting for the stairs, she was stopped when he called out. "Serena…"

Startled by the fact that he knew her name, she looked back at him. "When you get Cheza, all you need to do is reach the hanger. Head back to the stairs. The door on the right will lead down to the third level. There you should be able to find an aircraft."

__

Why is he doing this? she wondered, as her eyes quickly moved over him. If he was on Jagara's side wouldn't that mean he worked for Jagara? Nodding, Serena replied with a small, "thanks." Turning, she headed down the stairs.

As soon as she reached the second level, she hurried down the narrow hallway to the door at the very end. Pushing it open carefully, she peeked inside. She half expected an army of black armored men, like the ones that had attacked her back at Darcia's castle. She had been expecting some kind of a trap. But instead the room appeared to be empty of everything but crates, and boxes.

Serena entered the spacious room, and shut the door behind her. Slowly she made her way forward, looking for some kind of cage.

It didn't take her long to find it. Well find two of them actually. Upon seeing the second cage, she moved passed the first one without giving it a glance inside. The cage that faced her held Cheza. The sight of her created relief so heavy it nearly made her cry. She hadn't realized how tensed she had gotten since that man had mentioned Cheza's name.

"Hey," she greeted softly.

Now that her eyes were clearer, and more focused, Serena was able to really see the girl.

Cheza was a small girl, not nearly as short as Serena, but close. Her hair was a light shade of lavender, the style cut short to her chin. Her eyes, were as she had seen them before_. Red. _There wasn't even any white around her eyes either. The girl wore a lavender suit, with a bright pink coat and matching boots on her feet. She sat in a curled position in her cage.

When Serena had stopped next to her, the girl turned turned her head to look at her. "I'm sure you don't know me, but I met you back at Darcia's pad," she explained. Taking out the key given to her, she placed it in the lock and turned it.

It clicked and the lock fell to the floor. Despite the fact that everything the man had told her was true, she hadn't expected the key to work. But now that it was obvious he wanted to help her, she was very curious as to who he was.

Pulling the door open, she let the other girl climb out and stand on her own two feet. "Better," she asked.

Cheza nodded, a small smile forming on her face, before she moved to look at something that was behind Serena.

Serena stiffened, wondering if maybe the man had tricked her after all. Slowly, she turned around, following Cheza's gaze. In the cage behind her was a dark haired wolf. She recognized him. _Her, _Serena quickly corrected herself. _This was a female wolf._ Bright blue eyes regarded her with suspicion.

Seeing the gorgeous creature locked away hurt her deep inside. _Something so beautiful should be free_, she said to herself as she put the key in the lock. Turning it, she was relieved when it clicked and it fell to the ground.

She pulled the door open and the wolf easily walked out, stretching her limbs.

Serena nodded with a smile. "Much better. But I recommend taking your human form if you can. It'll just be easier that way," she explained. Especially if they were going to be sneaking around. Wolves were still considered a myth to most.

When the wolf didn't reply, she added, "What, you cant be the only wolf who lacks that ability. I mean all four of the guys can."

"You know of the others," the wolf asked.

Serena nodded. "Yes. I met them all a few weeks ago."

The sleek looking wolf easily changed into that of a rather tall woman, easily dwarfing Cheza and Serena. She had short bluish black hair and bright blue eyes. Her coat was dark, along with her matching thigh length, high heeled boots.

"You must be Serena," the woman said. "Hige told me about you."

Smiling, the blonde answered, "Yep, that's me."

"I'm Blue," the other woman said, holding out her hand in greeting. Serena's mouth twitched, wanting to break out into a grin. Blue had sniffed the air, as if trying to catch something that smelled good. It was something Serena had begun to miss. Taking the woman's out stretched hand, she openly smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you Blue. Now, lets make our grand escape!"

----

They had managed to find an aircraft, without any trouble. Blue had carried Cheza inside the small ship. Finding an empty seat, she eased the smaller girl into it. "Watch her," she ordered, as she took to the front of the ship.

Serena reached the other girl's seat. "Are you okay, Cheza?" she asked, after kneeling down beside her.

The door they had entered through, lifted and then shut with a hiss. Turning back to Cheza, she reached for the buckle. Clicking it into place, she tested its strength with a tug. Before she could stand and find her own seat, a hand appeared in her line of vision.

Looking up, Serena stared at the other girl, as she cupped her face. "Cheza?" she said aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Kiba," the girl answered, her hands shaping Serena's face.

Serena reached up, taking hold of the girl's hands and slowly removed them. Carefully she stood, so that she looked down on her.

Cheza didn't meet her eyes, instead, she pulled her hands free and touched the blonde's stomach. "Kiba," she said again.

She pulled away, stumbling back from the girl who continued to stare at her.

"Serena!" Blue called from the front. Hesitant, Serena looked at Cheza one more time, before joining the taller woman in the cockpit. "You do know how to fly this thing, right?" she asked, as she found herself a seat.

Blue was staring at the controls, her eyes moving over all the buttons. "Sure," she said with false optimism.

Serena grabbed at her chair, as the aircraft roared with life. _Oh my god, _she thought in a panic. Her grip tightened when Blue reached for the controls.

We are all going to die, was all that was on her mind, when Blue aimed one of the guns and shot a hole through the side of the aircraft that would be taking them to Jagara.

"Hold on!" Blue shouted, as she took hold of the ship and sent it flying… backwards.

"Oops," came the reply, after the ship came to a sudden halt, just narrowly stopping before it could crash into the wall.

With panic stricken eyes, Serena stared at the other woman. "You've never flown before!" she cried out. Looking ahead, she nearly screamed as the ship barely flew through the gaping hole that the guns had created.

I'm to young to die, she cried to herself.

----

"You let her escape," came the soft accusation from behind him. Kunzite needn't bother to turn around to see who had accompanied him. He was standing silently near the floor length window of the dinning hall. He could make out the faint image of the man through the clear glass. Tilting his head slightly to the side, Kunzite continued to stare out at the endless blue sky. White clouds sprouted here or there, nothing consistent.

"I had to," he replied softly. "You know better than anyone that she must be protected."

The other man nodded, as he joined him at the window. "Yes, but at your own expense? Isn't that taking things too far?" he asked, his dark blue eyes regarding the taller man with concern.

Kunzite looked at him now. He was a good head taller than the man next to him. Observing the younger man beside him, he said carefully, "Yes even at my own expense, brother."

It was true. They looked nothing alike, so it was never a surprise when disbelief was shown when they claimed to be siblings. There was four of them in all, plus the twins and none of the four looked like the other. Which could have been because neither of them shared the same mother. Their father had married five women, each one not lasting more than a year or so.

The younger man shook his head, his blond curls falling into dark eyes, so much unlike his oldest brother. "I know of your duty, Kunzite. As I knew of Tsuki's duty." At this his eyes hardened. "He was your friend…"

Nodding, the Kunzite reached up to rest his hand on the smaller man's shoulder. They were both tall young men, but the younger was built much smaller than himself. "Tsuki was a good man, Jadeite," he told the younger man fiercely, his face set with compassion. "I owe that man my life. So I will protect his daughter with my life."

"So it is true then. What Jagara plans to do with her?" Jadeite said, as he looked at his brother.

Kunzite pulled his hand back, before he turned his attention back out at the sky. "Yes. But Serena is well protected under the law," he answered.

Jadeite, being smaller than his older brother, had to look up at him. The questions he wanted to ask were evident in his eyes. Choosing just one was hard. "How can the law protect her, Kunzite," he finally asked.

"She _was _the last of her kind, Jadeite. Unless she produces an heir, she is protected," was the simple reply given. Yet something within that little speech caught Jadeite's attention.

"Was," he asked, his eyes darting over to his brother.

Kunzite smiled knowingly at their reflections. But he did not answer the question given to him. But it didn't matter since not long after, they were quickly interrupted by a small explosion.

The airship shuddered beneath their feet. A small smirk formed on his lips, as he watched a small ship fly out through a newly made hole in their airship.

Jadeite pressed his hands firmly against the glass to get a better look. "It appears your plan worked brother," he said softly. Turning, he started to leave. "I will sound the alarm. It would be best not to arouse suspicion," he hinted to Kunzite.

The other man nodded, as he to turned from the sight of the fading ship. "Yes, Jadeite," he replied as he followed the younger man out. "And I will inform Lady Jagara of the terrible news of Lady Serena's escape."

Jadeite felt his lips twist into sinister smirk. "Don't forget to warn the others of her arrival. I'm sure we all know where she is headed now."

There was no reply to the younger man's candid humor to the subject of the blonde haired girl. They all knew her so well, it was only obvious where she would go now.

Well, a family reunion was in store anyway.

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Ha! And LP pulls in another twist to the story eh? I hope you like it, because the information I just gave out pretty much rules the story for a while. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter…

So, we finally meet Jadeite, and his brother… I hope none of you will mind. I figured since I added Nathan, Molly, and Darien, heck why not the rest of the cast… Plus its my way of working with more characters than the usual few…

Not a whole lot of action, but then this part of the story is mainly going to be informational. Especially the next chapter.

I'm going to keep this short, because I have a question I would like to ask everyone.

I want to start a poll from here on out. Its not for this story, but another one I plan to write. I already have stories being written were Serena hooks up with each of the wolves, and the newest story I started, is sort of an extra.

Let me give you a little added background to the story. The story is called **Clandestine,** and the summery of the story is… _clandestine, the purpose of subversion or deception. Serena has enough on her hands by being a single mom, but when four strangers show up seeking shelter and food, what risk is she taking by letting them stay?_

Serena is only 23 years old, is a mom of a 5 year old. Serena will be a school teacher in a small town, friends with the community and all that good stuff. She left home when the was 17, because she was pregnant, but returns with she was 20, and has been living there for 3 years.

Now, the guys… Tsume is about 30, Kiba and Hige are about 24, and Toboe is 15.

Okay, I hope the summery gave you an idea of what will be happening in the story, to help you decide on a couple for me. I'm not that far in the story, so take your pick.

Serena/Tsume:

Serena/Kiba:

Serena/Hige:

Serena/any other person you may prefer:

Can't be Darien, because I already have him deeply rooted into the plot, that it wouldn't work out… you'll see when I write it.

Okay, enough about that… Thank you guys for taking the time to read my lengthy author's note, and for reading my chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

**__**

Reviews:

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Rayne StarDust: She's important to the Noble's world. Carrots? Yuck… and ouch… Oh, near me, well that makes it _all _better… heheh

BlueFrost: Umm, I cant say much to help clear your confusion yet. The next two chapters should clear things up. Next chapter we meet Serena's mom. Cher and Hubb I don't think will appear again, because I want to stay away from the show from here on out. Blue as you can see play a major role from here on out.****

Cat Demon: Yes there is, A few chapters have to pass, but another full moon arrives, I assure you…****

kittydemon(usagi): :D Actually this story isn't even close to ending. I believe there are 12 more chapters still left. Two of them I have yet to write. Soft Blonde… I believe I've read that. The name sounds familiar.****

Concrete Tenshi: Yep, that was Blue… I was wondering if anyone was going to notice that. Bad blood, well I guess I can say some. She's get a little upset later. Our fav Serena shines true later. The whole I just want to be normal… I want to wait until next week's chapter. In there, the Mom explains a lot. In the AN, I will explain everything, well give off better hints… the Lynx lady, no, she wont appear. LOL, nosy, nah. Yea this chapter does give that away too.

Arianna: Well she is a half breed, but it isn't a wolf. Serena can't control her powers. She doesn't even know how to use them, or what they are. The shield she did create was out of duty to protect Cheza. After that she was quite weak, and unable to do much more, than walk.

Sunshine Fia: Haha you'll just have to wait and see. Kiba and Darcia appear later, but many more things must come to light first.

Mesa Juu-Chan: Chicken, hobbit? Lmao!!! I am SOOOOOOO sorry about your name. I didn't even realize it miss spelled it. I hope I did better this time.

Hn: You that actually might be right. Maybe I'll use that as a way to explain some later things… yes, I think your right about the book too. I really need to look at that episode again.

Lady Tristana Rogue: Only a little. :D

Raepan: I am now… I actually ate a chicken burger.. Man I think the worst thing, was carving a hamburger and unable to eat it… tragic… 17, wow. I got mine done a month after my 18th birthday.. Wooo what present. Tomato soup.. Ugg my parents took me out to dinner a week after, and I could only eat the soup of the day tomato soup. Yuck! Yea I notice, I used to write like that too, but then I started writing these.

Senshi's Tenshi: Harmona's hair? No, she has light green hair. I had to watch that episode over and over again to get the right descriptions and scenes. As for the girl nailed to the door I though she had really dark hair. Like black… I could be wrong with her. And yea that was her blood. Darcia's sword, um, I assuming it's his. Since Serena is protected by a law, he cant kill her, so he gave her the sword to protect Cheza. As for Cher and Hubb, they didn't appear in this chapter, and they wont I don't think in this story. This story wont cross with Wolf's Rain episodes again. I haven't seen the ending of WR so I plan to end it in my own fashion.

Well that is all. I have got to go, sorry this came out late today, I had a long hard weekend, and didn't get to reread the chapter until Monday morning. Again sorry for the delays.

LP


	12. Chapter twelve

Good Monday, to all of you!!!! Hehe…

I think I must all remind you, this story will remain a Kiba/Serena. The poll is for **another **story.

Well here we are, another chapter of Nobility. I hope you guys like this one. Lots of info awaits you here, that I promise you.

****

Thanks goes to those who reviewed: **blackrosebunny451, Silver Eclipse, Lady Light, Mikazuki, Rayne StarDust, Serene's Magick, Raepan, Jypsee, x L u c y x, BlueFrost, Taiki, Serendy4evr, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, me, Queen Diamond, GambitGirl2008, Selene, s, Hn, Happy, Mesa Juu-Chan, Lady Tristana Rogue, ashita, The Dark Muse, anna, keika bee, platinum star, Cat Demon, Concrete Tenshi, Raye-chan, littlyBUNNY92(), Serenity Moon2.**

There is going to be a lengthy review below, I recommend reading it, if you are confused. But read after this chapter.

****

Warnings: Mild language…

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Chapter twelve:

Crash and Burn

Relaxing in her seat, Serena looked over at Blue, with wide eyes. "I cant believe we survived," she said in disbelief. Even though they were flying south steadily without a single hitch, her heart was doing a flying tempo beneath her rib cage.

In hopes of easing it, she reached up and massaged the spot over her heart. It didn't seem to help at all.

Blue was looking at her with a wry smile. "Don't trust my capabilities?" she asked. Serena shot the older woman a droll look. "Not when you say, _oops, _after flying backwards into a wall!" she screamed.

Unbuckling herself from her seat, Serena jumped up to her feet. "I'm going to go check on Cheza," she said as she left the cockpit.

Serena reached the back, where Cheza was sitting contently in her seat. Stopping, she stared at the other girl carefully. _Why does this strange feeling always come over me, when I see her? _Serena asked herself. It had happened before. Back at Darcia's castle.

She shivered at the thought. Why had she thrown herself into danger like that? _It had been foolish, and irresponsible_, she chided. And yet she still felt that way.

"Everything okay Cheza?" she asked, having to force the smile that appeared on her face. The other girl looked at her, her red eyes serene looking. It was a look Serena was recognizing. She never seemed to express anything unless one of the wolves was around.

"Kiba," the girl asked, as she tried to stand.

Serena shook her head, trying to hold on to her smile. "I don't know where Kiba is," she answered.

Cheza shook her head and tried to stand again. The seatbelt held her fast, keeping her to the chair. "Kiba," she asked again and pointed in Serena's direction.

Frustrated, because it appeared the girl couldn't understand her and upset, because her patients was wearing thin, Serena shook her head. "No, Cheza. I'm Serena, Serena O'Donnell."

"Kiba!" the girl said, her voice raising some. Serena was sure she had heard the slight hint of anger in the other girl's voice.

But that was all it took. Her fists clenching, Serena growled. "I don't know where he is, I don't know if he's okay and I don't know if he escaped, all right! So stop saying his name!" she screamed at the other girl. Her anger was reaching its peak. Since she had met the other girl, all she had done was say _his name_.

Tears clung to her eyes. _He could be hurt, or in danger. _Either one sounded horrible.

"Tsuki?" Cheza was trying to break free from the belt that held her to the chair. As she did so, she was staring at Serena, her expression a mix of confusion and hurt. Serena let her body relax, forcing herself to calm herself. Crying wouldn't do either of them any good. As she gained control over her emotions, so did Cheza.

"No Cheza, my name is Serena. Serena," she said, pointing to herself.

The other girl nodded, relaxing in her seat finally. Reluctantly, Serena approached her. Taking the belt, she unclipped the clasp and it slid into its place.

Pulling away, she aloud Cheza room to stand. "Why don't you join us up front," she offered, holding out her hand.

Cheza looked at the hand and then looked at the door Serena had come through, in order to reach the back. Serena smiled when the other girl gave her her hand, and the two of them joined Blue up front.

"Everything okay," Blue asked, eying both girls. Her eyes glanced at their hands, before she turned to look out the window.

A small smile formed on her face. "Yes, yes everything is just fine," Serena said.

----

Blue grimaced painfully, as Serena screamed loud enough to shatter the glass window. "What was that!!!!" the small girl shouted, her voice rising an octave. "You could have killed us!"

Unbuckling herself from her seat Blue stood. "Oh come on," she said lightly. She reached the door before Serena could get out of her seat.

She found Cheza seated comfortably in her chair, staring out the small window next to her. "This one go," she asked, when Blue reached her.

Smiling, Blue nodded and unbuckled the small girl seatbelt. Cheza jumped to her feet. And, seemingly gliding, reached the door before either Serena or herself could stop her.

The small girl turned the handle and threw the door open. The sun fell across the girl's skin and she lifted her head up into the light.

A few moments passed, before she turned to them with a smile. "This one is full."

Blue smirked and glanced over at the confused Serena. "She doesn't eat, all she needs is sunlight and water," she said, hoping to clear the girl's confusion.

"I knew that," the small blonde snapped, before she hurried pass Blue to follow Cheza outside.

"Oh my god," the blonde gasped.

Blue jumped to the ground below. _Oh, _she thought as she started at what was left of the ship. _Take off had been so much easier than landing. _The fact that the ship was suspended between two trees was good enough evidence for that.

Smiling nervously, she reached up to rub the back of her neck. Serena whirled around on her, her face turning several shades of red. "Y-you will never fly again!" she shouted. The small girl had every right to be angry. "For as long as I'm alive, you will never pilot a plane or any aircraft!!!"

Blue shrugged, ignoring the rage that seemed to seep off the tiny girl. She was a good head and a half taller than the blonde, which gave her an advantage.

Turning from Serena, she looked over to see Cheza walking away. "Shouldn't we be following her," Blue suggested, pointing in the flower maiden's direction.

"Argh!!!" Serena stalked passed her in a hurry to catch up to the fleeing Cheza. Blue shook her head in amusement. After being in the company of men for most of her life, being with Serena was quite refreshing.

Racing towards the two, she reached Cheza's side and slowed her pace so that she matched the other's speed.

"Where are we headed," she asked finally. Serena had mainly gave out directions, not really explaining where they were going. It seemed like now was a good time to ask.

Serena hugged her arms over her chest. She was wearing a thin gown that reached her ankles in length. It was obvious the white material didn't give much warmth to her body underneath. "My mother's," was the reply.

Blue lifted a brow at this. "Oh?" she asked, wondering why they would want to go there.

The blonde nodded, her eyes darting to Cheza every once and a while, as if she was afraid the girl might disappear. "My mom might be able to answer some questions of mine. And she might be able to help us with Cheza."

Blue nodded at this. Tipping her head back, she looked towards the sky. Where it had once been a light blue, it was now washed with pinks and orange. It was a gorgeous sight, one she missed throughout each day.

"All right then, where do we find her?" she finally asked and turned her eyes back onto the blonde.

Serena smiled, the corner of her mouth lifting. "It wont be all that hard, since we crashed near the city she's living in…" she said, her voice sounding thoughtful. "But it will probably still be another days worth. She lives on the other side of the city…"

Blue didn't say anymore. She let Serena set the pace and the three of them worked their way down the hillside towards the city below.

It looked like a pretty big city.

----

Ilene O'Donnell woke early on Sunday morning. Rising with the sun, she dressed for the day and headed outside.

Over the years of working in her garden, her pale skin had ripened into a nice tan. As she pushed the screen door open, she tied her long blue hair behind her head, hoping to keep the curls off her neck.

Stopping on the porch, she pushed the ponytail off her shoulder, and looked out at the sun.

With Sundays off, she could work at home and enjoyed a full day to planting flowers, pruning her roses and collecting apples from the trees.

"Another beautiful day," she said aloud. She had been worried, since the sun had neglected to show during the beginning of summer. But the last couple of days, the sun had arrived and along with it, came the smoldering heat.

Garbed in shorts and a tank top, she started down the stairs. _I think I'll start with the garden first_, she thought to herself.

She made a stop at the garden shed to collect her tools and some gloves. After that she moved to her glorious garden, her pride and joy. All her heart and sweat had been pored into making it. Her husband had loved gardens. "The flowers really," she said to herself. _He loved the smell of flowers._

Getting down on her knees, she started weeding around the rose bushes. She had hardly gotten started when she heard a shout.

Sitting back, she rested on her legs and looked out over towards the road. She lived outside the city limits, unable to handle all the hustle and bustle of the city life. _The country life was just fine_, she thought proudly. _Perfect actually._

She could barely make out the faint images of people walking down the road. One of them seemed to be dragging their feet, while the others moved easily.

When she heard the muffled shout again, she slowly rose to her feet. "Now who could that be," she wondered. She was the only one who lived out this way.

Ilene hardly ever got visitors.

Reluctantly, she removed her gloves and set them on the wire fence that held her raspberry patch. Moving forward, she reached the end of her property in hopes of seeing who the people were.

"Mom!!!!!" came the shout. The person who had been dragging their feet started running.

Ilene felt tears surface in her eyes. "Serena!" she shouted and ran forward, forgetting about her garden work. Or about her yard that needed tending, or the plants that needed watering.

The two met in the middle and hugged fiercely. "My darling daughter!" she shouted with joy, her arms trying to gather as much of the girl as she could.

"Mom, I've missed you so much!" Serena pulled away first.

Smiling, Ilene brushed a lock of blonde hair from her daughter's face. "Serena I'm glad you came…" she trailed off, her eyes taking in her appearance. "What in the world?" she asked aloud, indicating the gown.

"It's a long story, Mom. But before I tell you, I want you to meet some friends of mine," her daughter explained in reply

Ilene nodded and let her daughter pull her forward. Looking passed Serena, she eyed the two still walking towards them. A small frown played on her face. _Wait a minute,_ she thought to herself. She eyed the taller woman carefully.

__

No, she hadn't imagined it. The image flickered, taking on the appearance of a dark haired wolf, before flickering back into a woman. Ilene felt her body stiffen at that thought. _What is my daughter doing with a wolf? _She had thought she had done a perfect job at keeping her away from them. Forcing her to live in the city, to work without much time off. Keeping her too busy to notice anything out of the ordinary.

What have you done Nathan, she thought with a scowl. While she had been away, something had gone wrong. She had just seen her daughter near the end of May, when she had visited for a weekend. Nothing seemed wrong then.

Forcing a smile to form on her face when Serena looked at her, she asked, "who are your new friends Serena, I don't think I-"

She cut herself off. While she had been talking to her daughter, the two had neared her property to the point that she could actually see their faces. But instead of looking at the wolf in a human's body, her eyes had fallen on the smaller girl.

"No," she said, feeling fear encase her heart. Shaking her head, she wrenched her hand free from her daughter's. "No," she said again.

It couldn't be her. Serena was never to meet her, was never to even know she existed. _What the hell is going on,_ she thought in a panic.

As she stalked back towards her house, she glanced back at the three girls from over her shoulder. _How could Serena ever meet Cheza, when she should be at work, doing her job._ To Serena, the flower maiden should never exist. _But it seemed somehow, seven people fucked that all up_, she thought bitterly.

The screen door slammed shut behind her.

----

__

Mom was acting weird, Serena thought as she pushed open the screen door. "Mom," she called out, holding the door for the others to come in. Once Blue had herded the flower maiden within her old childhood home, she let the door shut. _Home sweet home, _she thought, looking over at all the familiar wallpaper and furniture. _Nothing's changed._

It was a relief to know that not everything had completely changed in her life.

Looking back at Blue, she offered, "Why don't you two have a seat in the living room while I talk with my mom." She waved a hand in the direction of the room she had mentioned.

Blue took the hint and in taking Cheza's hand, led the girl into the living room. Serena sighed and headed in the direction she knew would be the kitchen.

She found her mother there, standing near the coffee pot brewing a fresh batch of coffee. "Mom," she asked attentively, slowly making her way into the bright room. She had loved the kitchen as a child. The emotions she had felt then, still ran through her as she took in the large space.

It was full of bright colors, with wide open windows. It was simple and homely looking. A factor she hadn't realized she had missed until just then.

Serena stopped near the counter, knowing her mother didn't want her to come any closer. The older woman was staring down at the coffee pot as if heating the beans with her own smoldering gaze. "Mom what wrong," she asked, her nerves irked by her mother's manners. They hadn't talked in months and she just blows her off. _No kiss hello, no hugs of joy_, she thought tearfully.

"What is _she _doing here?" came the reply. There was a hint of anger in the older woman's voice, when she had asked the question. "Who?" Serena asked, her hands splaying across the surface of the countertop.

"Her!" came the sharp reprimand. Her mother turned her head, her dark eyes shooting liquid fire. "That girl!" she hissed trying to keep her voice low but failing.

Forgetting the coffee, the older woman turned towards her daughter. She didn't say anything but waiting impatiently for something. Here was a side, Serena had never seen before. Her mother had never been openly hostile towards anyone.

Feeling a shiver start at the base of her spine, she told her mother all that had happened to her. She started with when she had found Kiba, to when he left.

After that she explained about her choice of taking a vacation, going into detail on her trip to a new city.

As she spoke, she couldn't keep back the smile. She was truly excited, happy to tell someone what had happened to her. But while she told about running into the guys and joining them on their trip, she didn't notice the growing frown on her mother's face.

She left out unimportant details her mother didn't need to know. The night of the full moon was completely erased from the story. Serena finally ended the tale with the man who had helped her escape.

"Blue flew the ship and I told her to take us here. I have a few questions I wanted to ask you," finished Serena.

But instead of answering the girl with the kind of attitude Serena had expected, her mother exploded. "Wolves!" she shouted, her voice sounding shrill. "Wolves! You have been in the company of a pack of wolves!"

Serena stumbled back, startled by the deep seeded venom in her mother's voice. _What was wrong with her, _she wondered. She had thought her mother would be excited. _She was always happy when I told her about how my life was going before…_ she thought sadly.

"What about them," Serena countered. What could her mother have against wolves anyway?

"You were never supposed to meet them, Serena!" her mother shouted. She was beyond anger. "You were never supposed to meet her either!" The older woman jabbed a finger towards the living room. They couldn't see them, but the younger girl knew now who her mother was referring to.

"Mom, it's my life! Why cant I meet who I choose to meet?" she asked, sounding prickly. Just how she felt.

Her mother slammed her open palms down on the counter just as the coffee pot hissed. "Because!" she raged, her face turning red with indignation. "I made damn sure you never would. And then you go and screw it all up!"

Startled Serena took a step back from her mother. _Why? s_he thought. _Why would she not want me to meet Cheza, to meet Kiba?_ she asked in wonder. "Why," she finally managed to asked the word aloud.

The older woman sighed, spreading her fingers out on the countertop. "Serena, you must understand. Nothing good will come of these people," she said, her voice hoarse.

Serena still didn't understand. _How could nothing good come out of something that felt so right? _For once in her life, she felt like she had one. There was no repetition, no day to day routines. Everything for the last few days had been sporadic and all the more thrilling.

Lifting her eyes, the older woman looked at her daughter. Her dark eyes were hard and filled with determination. "Your father died protecting her. His genes run in your veins. I will not loose you to her, too." she said fiercely.

His genes… That word struck a thought within her. _That would explain… _she started to think. _But that couldn't be true, right? _she wondered.

"There's so much I never told you Serena, because I wanted to protect you," explained her mother.

Serena stared at her mother, while the coffee blackened, hissed, and burned. Her mother turned to shut the coffee pot off. She took the glass pitcher and poured herself a cup.

"You're father was a Noble Serena. Just like Oakum, Darcia, Jagura, and Harmona. The ones I told you about when you were a kid," her mother said, while she went about cleaning up some invisible mess. "His duty was the protect the flower maiden. She belonged to Darcia, but many of the other Nobles wanted her.

"So your father was given the duty to protect her. A duty that has run in his family for generations."

Serena felt the icy cold that had started at the base of her spine crawl up. "Oakum came to take Cheza, but your father defended her with his life," her mother said, her voice without emotion. She sounded cold and surly.

The older woman turned again, looking at her daughter. "I've told you of this story Serena, several times when you were a child," she said, as if feeling like she needed to explain herself. "But I promised I would never let you meet Cheza, that you would never-"

Reaching up, Serena touched her forehead to rub at the spot that ached. "Because the duty would pass down to me…" she said, before looking her mother directly in the eyes. "That's what you mean, right mom. Because I have met Cheza, suddenly I feel this powerful need to- to protect her."

Her mother cursed beneath her breath and slammed her hand down on the countertop again. "God dammit," she hissed loud enough for Serena to hear her. "We tried so hard too," she muttered, her voice sounding distant.

Looking up, the older woman added, "Well I cant do anything now. The inevitable has happened," shaking her head, her mother turned away. "Go take a shower and get cleaned up, there is much more I need to tell you," was the order given to her.

Serena stood, and left the kitchen silently.

----

An hour later, Serena left the bathroom, feeling refreshed and energized. Following the hallway, she found her way to the living room.

Unlike before, it was now empty, Blue and Cheza nowhere in sight. Frowning, Serena left the room, and entered the kitchen. It too lacked company, this including her mother as well. _She better not have…_ she thought angrily.

Marching towards the front door, she flung open the screen door. She entered the porch just as the door slammed shut behind her. Her eyes moved across the yard, and yet she saw no one.

Her jaw clenched. _I swear if she kicked them off the property, I'll never forgive her, _she thought sourly.

Serena bounded down the steps, before rounding the house. On the west side of the house, she was greeted with a peculiar sight. Her mother was pruning her rose bushes, seemingly comfortable. While Blue, in her wolf form and Cheza ran around the yard.

The corner of her mouth lifted, as she watched them. The sight brought back memories of the time in her apartment with Kiba. Sighing, Serena entered her mother's garden and only stopped when she reached the older woman's side.

"Mom, I think we should talk," she said at last. She had never felt more in the dark, than she did now. So many lies seem to have been woven around her, that she wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't.

She had grown up not believing in wolves, not believing in anything but what her mother told her. Now her world was turned upside down, all because of that simple act of kindness. When she had taken Kiba in and learned the truth.

Her mother sighed, her hands stilling from where she had plucked a dead rose from off its steam. "I guess you are right," the older woman said in reply.

The older woman sat back in the dirt, her legs crossed, as she stared at the blue roses. A rare sight, but they were Serena's favorite. As were they were her mother's.

"I want to know everything," Serena said, as she sat down next to her mother. She ignored the laughter and barks coming from beyond the garden. She wouldn't let herself get distracted.

The older woman looked at her and Serena saw how old her mother had really become. Twenty eight years ago, her mother would have been her age. But now the older woman had aged, the years being kind to her. But it seemed she had aged in all the time it had taken her in the shower.

"I met you father when I was twenty-eight. It was a fluke really," her mother began, starting the story that would soon tell Serena who she was and why she was here.

"We would have never met, if I hadn't accidentally left my purse in the cart. I had to go back and retrieve it. I nearly hit him with my car, when I pulled back into the parking lot."

Serena watched her mother smile, lost in her memories of years ago.

"He introduced himself as Tsuki. I was never sure if that was his last name or first. But back then it never really mattered. He never gave me a clear picture of who he was. But nonetheless, I began to see more of him. Everywhere I went, I would turn and there he would be.

"Sitting on a bench, waiting in a line, leaning up against a car, or just standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring at me." Serena smiled when a blush crept across her mother's face.

"I got tired of turning and seeing him just there, as if he had just appeared there. So I asked him to come shopping with me. We went to the flea market and visited every shop.

"I was always curious about the way he spoke," she explained. "He always referred to everyone as, you people, or your kind. It wasn't until four months later that I found out…"

Serena waited, not wanting to push her mother, so she sat there silently. A few minutes passed, before her mother started again.

"He asked me, an odd question. One I never expected," she said with a sad smile and her eyes glistened. "He asked me if I would like to have his child."

Both of her brows lifted and Serena felt her mouth open to ask a question. But before she could, she bit down on her tongue, forcing herself to stop and let her mother explain.

The older woman had relapsed into silence, as if thinking. Absently, her gloved hands would touch a petal, or finger a leaf.

In the distance, the laughter of Blue and Cheza faded. A numbing silence fell over them, not quite oppressive, but not comfortable either.

"I accepted," she said suddenly, startling Serena from her thoughts. "I loved him, so I agreed." There were tears in her voice, a sadness that struck Serena harshly. "He told me everything then. Told me about his heritage, about the wolves, about paradise. He asked me if I would want to go to paradise. He said I could grow all sorts of flowers there, have a huge garden, that we could share."

The older woman sighed, her hands falling into her lap. "He told me of Cheza, the key to finding paradise. How it was his duty to protect her.

"That was why he needed a child. But he also told me, he wanted a child, because he said he loved me. And he wanted a child so that we could have something together," the older woman's lips trembled. "I loved him so much that I didn't care that he had kept all of these secrets from me…"

Serena covered her mouth, hoping to keep herself from crying. She felt the burn begin at her eyes, which threatened to leak. Her mouth trembled for a second, until she contained her emotions and bottled them up. "Oh mom," she said at last, her voice cracking under the strain.

The older woman turned her tired brown eyes on her. "I was six months pregnant, when he died," she said, purging on even though tears were falling. "He sent one of his friends, Kunzite to take care of me. It was Kunzite who told me, what had happened and what would happen."

What would happen, Serena wondered with a slight frown.

"Your father was killed, when he refused to give Cheza to another Noble named Oakum. Kunzite told me, that the life of my unborn baby was in jeopardy.

"So he helped me hide," she said, as she wiped at any stray tears. "Your father's heritage runs through your blood. You were destined to protect the flower maiden, like your father and his father before him," her mother finally explained.

"But Kunzite believed that as long as you didn't meet Cheza, or any wolves, that you would be safe from your destiny.

"So we protected you your whole life, all of it. When you were old enough, I stopped telling you those stories and made up lies."

Serena looked away then, her eyes gazing at the dirt she sat on.

"I'm not sorry for what I did Serena. I did it to protect you. You're safe, until you give birth to a child," her mother said with conviction.

"What," Serena spoke at last. She looked at her mother sharply. "What did you say?"

Her mother sighed, her brows drawing together. "Your father was safe, until he produced an heir. When Oakum found out about you, he made his move to steal Cheza away.

"You are the last of your kind Serena. You are the only heir of Nobles who are to protect Cheza."

Serena couldn't believe what she was hearing. And yet all of it did make sense. "Until you give birth to a child, you are protected by the Noble's decree. If you are harmed in any way, the perpetrator would be sentenced to death," her mother ended her story on that ominous note. When she was finished, she got to her feet and started back towards the house.

Reluctantly, Serena got to her own feet. She watched her mother climb the steps to the porch and disappear into the house. Once her mother was out of sight, she turned. Blue and Cheza were lying in the grass not to far away.

Looking down, she glanced at her flat stomach. _This is too weird_, she thought. When she had asked for an adventure, or something exciting, nothing like this had even came to mind.

With a long sigh, she started towards the two lounging in the green grass. When she reached them, she said sadly, "Come on." She continued walking, not really caring if they followed or not.

Fisting her hands, she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. What was she supposed to do now? Where should she go?

Instinctively, she looked North.

The corner of her mouth lifted. "Kiba," she whispered beneath her breath. "Where are you Kiba."

Without another word, she turned and started North. And silently, Blue and Cheza followed.

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****

Ages: Serena(21), Blue (around 22), Cheza (about 15), Jadeite (31), Irene (about 50), Kunzite (35).

I forgot to mention the guys ages last chapter. I thought it might be helpful later…

****

Confusion, well I recommend reading this: First off. Serena is now officially part Noble and part Human. Half and half. This is, a Kiba/Serena, no doubt about that.

Serena is that last of her kind, and until she has a kid, she is protected under a law. Serena's kind is very important, because if the gene they hold. The instinct to protect… which might help you understand just why Serena would bring an injured wolf into her home instead of a vet. Or why she might jump in front of a bullet, or stand in front of a stranger and protect them from a sword.

Tsuki, Serena's father was protected by this law, until Irene was pregnant with Serena. Well, his main duty was to protect Cheza, and that duty is handed down to Serena.

Now I hope this explains enough. I don't want to say to much, until the end, because things come to light throughout the story.

But if you still have questions, put it in the review, and I will hopefully clear things up.

Now, for the story **_Clandestine_**:

Kiba/Serena: 11

Tsume/Serena: 6

Hige/Serena: 0

Darcia/Serena: 1

Now I don't just want reviews that demand for a couple okay… if I get just those, I will drop the polls.

**__**

Reviews:

Rayne StarDust: :D ain't it great! Yep she is, I wanted to up the stakes a bit. Wait till she finds out! Safe for nine months… well I did consider following wolves pregnancy… but if I did that, it wouldn't work out right… so I think it will have to wait nine months… who knows maybe I will change my mind. Hehe… in the way! :'(… well if you put it that way… I think I would take the carrots over the knives… throw away! :D that one face looks like it's drooling.

Raepan: I agree, that's what I kind of did for a while… but then I got jealous of my own character… oh wow… I wish my mom was like that… she hates to cook now a days. I've been given a crash course in cooking. Which ended up with burn Tuna Helper. Yee. Yep you're right. She is. But wait till Serena finds out.. Twice a week? I donno, I like the whole Monday things, I get tones of reviews by waiting a week. I might consider it later though. If I manage to finish the story.

BlueFrost: A COOKIE!!! YEA! Ooooooo and chocolate chip, wow you're the greatest! My fav cookie, I think I'll take you up on that offer, my aunt made a batch. Tyvm!

Serendy4evr: Nope, Serena is the last of her kind. Before her, Tsuki was the last until he produced a child. So until Serena is able to give birth she is the last of her kind. Serena's ancestors are very important to the Nobles. They are born with a distinct genetic makeup to protect. And since there are so very few Nobles, and very very few of Serena's kind (only one), she is protected. The Nobles couldn't afford to loose that kind breed I guess I should say. Now if Serena has a child she is expendable, because the child can be corrupted, or molded into what the Nobles want. There is no law to protect the whole breed, just to make sure that nothing happens that wipes them all out. The oopse, I wrote that before my tooth pulling. When I reread that chapter I laughed..

Concrete Tenshi: Yep, definitely preg.. Hehe. After this story you will have noticed that, Serena is Noble/Human. You have no idea how long it took me to write this chapter, and how it should come out. I think I made Irene into a bitch… Okay the full moon, I should probably explain that, if I didn't in the AN. I think the Moon plays a major Role in WR, with the Wolves, and the Nobles. At least to me it appears to be important. So I decided to keep something from Sailor Moon with Serena. I guess a link really. The Full Moon effects her, like it does with the wolves. Kind of gives her strength. And now, her Noble blood is flourishing, so with the Moon, its changing Serena into what she should have been all along. The child, you know I have no idea on whether to make it a boy or girl… heck maybe I should give her a litter. Have her repopulate her kind. Hahaha. I don't think I could, since she is only a month preg… soon to be only two months. I don't think that happens this early in the pregnancy… I could probably do it near the end of the story which will be close to starting three months preg. Yep, he would have killed her if she had been someone else… and also he respected her father which helped save her. But that wont stop him from using her, hint hint… heck no, Kiba is going to kick butt!!!! But so does Serena. I don't think Kiba will play a major role in the final battle. Genetic mess!!!! Lmao! Yes, 1/3 human, 1/3 wolf, and 1/3 Noble… wow. Or would it be more than that? Maybe only a ¼ noble, ¼ wolf, and ½ Human.. Gah complicated!

Well that's it! Wasn't that fun? Haha, sorry been a weird week. When they say bad things happen in threes, I think they under estimated… more like in eights… its been a lllllooooooonnnnnngggggg week.

Well I'll see you all next Monday.

Till then!

LP


	13. Chapter thirteen

I know this came out a little late, but as hard as it is to believe… I do have a life… no really I do. In between helping my sister move, working, college getting a new job, and getting ready for a week vacation, I have I found finding time for anything else minimal.

So all I ask is to bare with me.

Oh yes good news… next chapter, your choice, Friday the 20th, or Monday the 30th. Reason being, I am going to be out on Lake Roosevelt in a house boat, (so no phone lines, only cell phones), from Aug 21st - Aug 27th. So you guys decide this week, which day you want the chapter.

Thank you guys for reviewing, the only light in this hectic week. I swear they get longer and longer.

****

Rayne StarDust, Blood River, keikabee, Raepan, BlueFrost, blackrosebunny451, I want to read!, jypsee, Chibi Pyro Duo, Serenity Moon2, Lady Tristana Rouge, Raye-chan, Sunshine Fia, Kagero, Aeden Hale, GambitGirl2008, Melissa, Flame Ivy Moon, Concrete Tenshi.

I do have an **_Important Question _**to ask all of you. How many of you would be discouraged in reading a story that involves a 17 year old girl and about a 30 year old guy getting together?

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Chapter thirteen:

Nobility

The young man stared at the phone incredulously. _What the hell,_ he thought in annoyance. Bringing the phone back to his ear, he decided to give the caller a piece of his mind. "Why do I have baby-sit?"

His eyes narrowed as he listened to the calm reply. "No! its Z's turn to do the shitty job. I did the last one!" he countered in his own defense. "Yes, that was me," he argued with the other person.

Grunting, he switched lanes and passing the slow volts wagon, on the long strip of highway.

"Oh come on," he whined, changing tactics. "I don't want to baby-sit. Yes it is baby sitting, only I'm not getting paid!"

His left eye twitched with annoyance. "They're what?" he asked. Turning on his blinker, he merged into the other lane.

Looking ahead, his squinted his eyes to stare at the setting sun. "Shit, I hate it when you're right," he said sourly. Rolling his eyes at the comment thrown back at him, he sighed.

"Fine, fine, whatever."

He noticed the three women up ahead. Turning on his blinker, he whizzed passed them, hit the brakes, and pulled over. "Yea, I'll take care of it."

With a snap, he shut off his phone and tossed it into the glove box. Glancing back through his rearview mirror, he scowled. _Why do I always get the shitty jobs_, he thought bitterly.

----

Serena squealed, when the old beat up truck pulled over for her. Running ahead, she ran to the passenger side and peered in through the open window. She eyed the stranger who sat behind the steering wheel.

He was looking at her as well, a cocky smile on his handsome face. He appeared young, with soft skin stretched over a perfectly sculptured face. There was something about his stare and the face that he looked so good, that set her off.

Pushing the thought out of her mind, she flashed the older man a brilliant smile. "Are you heading North," she asked finally, her eyes locking with his dark blue ones.

The young man nodded, his blonde curls falling over his forehead to fall into his eyes. "That I am miss. Need a lift," he asked.

Serena sighed with relief. "Really," she asked, and pulled the door open. "You don't mind?"

The young man shook his head, "Not at all. The girls with you," he asked once she climbed in. Serena nodded, "yea. Again thanks."

The stranger shrugged. "it's not a problem," he said matter of fact. Blue and Cheza climbed into the bench seat beside her, with Blue sitting near the door, which she slammed shut.

Feeling her face flushed, Serena turned to the man. "Sorry, I'm Serena, this is Cheza and Blue, my friends."

The young man quirked a smile. "The names, uh, Ja- Jason." Grinning, she replied, "its nice to meet you Jason."

He nodded in reply, while shifting gears and pulled back out onto the road.

----

They drove for most of the night. Finally stopping at an inn around eleven. Jason had offered to pay for their rooms, since Serena had lost her money. He had also offered to drive them to the nearest city once morning came.

So they spent the night at some inn she had never heard of. And ate breakfast the next morning in the small restaurant next door.

Around eight, they all climbed back into the truck and started off again, heading North.

"So where are you three heading anyway," the young man asked at last. Serena wasn't surprised by the question. She had been expecting it. What only surprised her, was how long he had waited to ask. "Visiting a friend," she explained. She didn't plan on lying to him, but she didn't plan on giving him details either.

"Kiba?" Cheza suddenly asked, her voice sounding soft and hesitant.

The surprise on Jason's face was clear as day. Suspiciously, Serene wondered if it was because of the name, or that this was the first time he had heard the girl speak since picking them up. She had a feeling it was because of the former.

Pressing her back against the back of the bench seat, she pretend to be looking out the window. But in fact, she was watching the man's face.

"Yes Cheza, we're going to see Kiba," she answered. Her eyes narrowed when the young man's eyes widen a fraction while he stared out the window. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.

It wasn't much longer, till Jason turned the blinker on and pulled over into a gas station. "I think it would be best to fuel up, never know when we might run out," he said, while pushing his door open.

"Any of you want something to eat?" he asked. Serena shrugged. "Sure, some chips sound good."

Jason nodded, while he fished for his wallet. "Hey Blue," he called. "Could you get me my phone, its in the glove box. I think I'll call my friend who lives in the city a few miles from here. See if he minds if I stop at his place for the night," he babbled, nervousness having him say more than was needed.

Blue handed him his phone and he gave her a soft thanks, before he slammed the door shut and walked off. Inconspicuously, Serena glanced at the gas indicator. They still had a half of a tank left.

----

He hit the automatic redial and waited as it rang. The phone he pressed to his ear rang four times, before someone picked up.

"There is some serious shit going on here!" he started off. "No don't tell me to relax," he shouted in return to the calm reply.

How the man could be so calm in serious situations always set him off in a bad mood. And he was already in a foul mood to begin with.

"Guess where I'm headed," he said, while walking through the small convenient store. "I'm at some 7/11 store, in the middle of nowhere, heading North," he said, while grabbing an arm full of chips, a variety since he hadn't been given a preference.

"They're heading North, searching for a friend," he said, his voice becoming more annoyed as he talked. "I'm driving North, with three chicks," he said, his voice going low. "One of them being a wolf!" he exclaimed in a hiss. He was lucky that it was only him and the clerk in the store.

"You're wondering what friend," he asked incredulously. "Hell, I thought you knew everything?" he replied with a sneer.

He dropped the bags onto the counter before heading to the back of the store. He grabbed a carton of chocolate milk, and two bottles of mineral water. "Well what I want to know, is how the hell does she know Kiba?"

Pausing, he kept to the corner, to keep from being overheard. Looking up, he glanced out the large front window to see his truck.

All was a counted for.

"Yea, old wolf boy. It appears that's they're friend," he said in a sickening sweet voice.

Briefly, he glanced over at the counter. The clerk was to busy reading her novel to notice him having a conversation on his phone. "You want me to what?" he shouted, not caring who heard him. "Are you out of your mind?"

He shook his head and sighed. "Fine, whatever," he said as he approached the counter. Snapping the phone shut, he looked at the clerk. "I believe I'm ready."

----

Serena looked up, when Jason opened the driver side door and handed her the large paper bag. "Treats and drinks," he said with a smile.

He climbed into his seat and shut the door. "Can you put this back," he asked, handing Blue the phone. She complied and put it back into the glove box.

He started the truck and pulled back out onto the road. As they started North again, Serena wondered what had happened, since he hadn't even bothered to fuel up.

That had been the reason they had stopped, unless there had something else he wanted to do.

She glanced over at the glove box. _I wonder who he called_, she thought with suspicion.

Three hours later, they reached a city, in which Jason pulled over to fuel up, for real this time. While he got out and conversed with another driver on the other side, Serena went for the glove box.

"Serena what are you doing," Blue asked.

Taking the phone, she stared at all the keys, before hitting redial. "I don't trust him," she said as a way to explain herself.

Pressing the phone to her ear, she listened as the phone rang four times. On the fifth ring, someone picked up. The other person, who sounded distinctly male, greeted with a soft hello. She kept quiet, her brows drawn together.

__

Why did that voice sound familiar?

Again the man said hello, but his voice gave no hint if he was irritated or upset.

Then suddenly the man sighed and he said her name. The fact that he knew it was her was a shock, but also was the fact that she suddenly knew who she was talking to. This was the man from Jagara's aircraft.

The man who had told her to visit her mother and had helped her escape. The jumbled information in her mind clicked together. "Kunzite," she said, more than asked.

The man on the other end chuckled and she knew then that she was right. Now all she needed to know was why Jason was calling him. "What the hell is going on," she asked, her anger rising suddenly.

She was getting sick and tired of these sort of games. "How do you know Jason," she asked. But as soon as she had said the words, she felt stupid. _Why shouldn't he not know Jason? _she thought in annoyance. Hadn't her mother told her about being protected her whole life?

"You're all Nobles," she accused, not listening to the man on the other end. Cursing herself, she snapped the phone shut. She dragged herself to the driver's side of the truck and shoved the door open. Climbing out, she said to the others, "Lets go."

She didn't bother to look back, before she started walking. "Serena," Jason called, abandoning the gas tank to go after her.

Whirling around, she pointed her finger at him. "You ass whole!" she shouted, ignoring the curious stares she was receiving. "You're one of _them_," she hissed.

At his raised eyebrows, she added, "I called Kunzite, he says hi." Turning on her heels, she started walking towards the road, with Cheza and Blue right behind her.

She stopped suddenly to look back at him. "Jason, or whoever you are, tell your boss that I want to be left alone. Go back to wherever it is you came from. I'm sick and tired of all of you!"

Seething, she raised her voice even more, "I will not have you, or the freaky chick in the armor running my life! Or Cheza's life, for that matter. So back the hell off!" She turned again, just in time to see the city bus.

Before Jason could act, she flagged the driver and climbing on, with Blue and Cheza.

The bus pulled away, before he could even reach the bus stop.

----

Serena sat down next to a young man, since most of the other seats were full. Cheza had to sit next to a kid listening to loud music blaring through his headphones. And Blue was seated next to an elderly woman with dark glasses over her eyes.

Smiling at the man next to her, she greeted with a tired, "hi." She looked away to stare out ahead of her, suddenly feeling quite drain.

"Car break down?"

Startled from her thoughts, Serena glanced over at the young man next to her. "Excuse me," she asked.

He flashed her a smile. "Well I ride this bus every day, and you're new. So I thought maybe your car broke down."

She frowned, thinking over the stranger's explanation. A second passed, before she shook her head negatively. "No, actually my friends and I are new around here," she said in a way to explain herself. "I'm Serena," she introduced herself, holding out her hand. The young man smiled and took her hand. "I'm Amara," he said to introduce himself, while shaking her hand.

Serena eyed the stranger with a slight frown. Her eyes widened slightly and a flushed burned her cheeks. "Oh my god," she said aloud, even though she had meant to say it to herself.

Amara chuckled. "Something wrong?"

Serena covered her cheeks to hide her embarrassment. "I-I assumed. Because of your appearance I assumed you were a- a man…" her face turned several more shades of red.

The person next to her quirked her lips into a smile. "You should never _assume _anything. You can only make an ass out of you and me," she said.

Laughing, Serena shook her head. "I've never heard that one before," she said with a smile. She looked at the older woman next to her. She hadn't realized until then how much this woman, looked like Jason. Which might have been why she had first though her, a man.

Amara was dressed casually in a pair of khakis and a red t-shirt. She had short wheat blond hair, cut in the same manner Jason had, with a slight curl. Blue eyes stared at her, with a cockiness she had seen in Jason when she had first met him. The resemblance between the two was almost uncanny.

Sitting back in her seat, Serena contemplated over this little bit of information. Was it possible that she had managed to run into another Noble and so soon?

Glancing at the other woman next to her, she frowned. _How many could there be?_ So far she knew of only seven Nobles, that not including herself, since she was only half.

As if sensing her thoughts, Amara sighed languidly. "You know, you should lighten up, Serena. I mean I'm impressed with the way you handled my little brother, since he so deserved that…" she joked, her voice light.

Serena stiffened though, even if the other woman's voice sounded reassuring. Amara blatantly ignored her sudden uneasy form. "Yes I am a Noble, just like my brother Jadeite," she answered the unasked question, smoothly. "And before you go ape shit on me as well, I think I would like to explain myself."

Another noble, Serena thought incredulously. _Another one!_

"My bothers and I don't work for Jagara, Oakum, or even Darcia," Amara explained. "Kunzite, my oldest brother was good friends with you father.

"They grew up together, and Kunzite took it upon himself to take care of you and your mother after Tsuki died."

Tears filled her eyes, threatening to fall, as she listened to Amara speak. Why couldn't these people just leave her alone?

"I'm not here to take you back, or send you anywhere. Jadeite, or as you know him Jason and I were sent to look after you.

"Kunzite asked us, to watch over you, until we are no longer needed," she said finally. It was the most reassuring thing she had said so far. "Is that alright with you," she finally asked, her lips twitching as if she wanted to add some kind of sarcastic remark, but held it back.

Serena swallowed passed the large lump that had formed in her throat. "Its all right, if you just tell me one thing."

Amara frowned, lines forming above her brow. "And what is that," she asked almost a little too sharply.

"What is your real name."

Amara nearly laughed at the question. _So it appeares the girl has had her fill of lies. _Without any hesitation, she answered truthfully, "Haruka, you can call me Haruka."

----

They had been traveling for nearly two days now, the bus leading them nearly a direct path towards North. But even with the lack of sleep, or comfort, Serena's attention wasn't shot. Movement from the corner of her eye, caught her eye. Turning her head, Serena frowned, when Cheza suddenly stood. Her brows furrowed together, when the girl started to move towards the front of the bus.

Instinctively, Serena reached up and jerked on the cord to stop the bus. Even before the bus could pull over, Serena was climbing to her feet. She moved after Cheza, catching the girl by the arm.

"Cheza," she asked, her face filled with concern. "What's wrong?" The bus came to a complete stop on the side of the road, near an old natty looking fast food restaurant.

The girl turned towards her, her red eyes suddenly filled with an emotion, Serena had only seen happen once before. "Kiba," Serena asked, alarm filling her. "Is- is it Kiba?"

A small shake of her head, had Serena sagging with relief against the seat behind her. Her grip on the other girl loosened and Cheza pulled free. The small girl reached the door and slipped outside, using the few steps to reach the sidewalk.

With Blue and Haruka behind her, Serena followed the flower maiden. The girl was walking passed the seedy looking restaurant.

Reluctantly, Serena tagged behind the other girl, following her around the corner. To her displeasure, the bus pulled back out into traffic. _I swear if this is some fluke_, she thought to herself in irritation. She was unwilling to finish her thoughts.

But then, she didn't have to.

There was a small back alley which was all that separated the restaurant and the building behind it. And even that was sadly put. The narrow road could hardly fit four people all at once.

"Cheza," Serena began, her irritation showing slightly in her voice. Her day had already been rotten and going on a wild goose chase was not on her priority list.

Before she could continue, a low growl had her pulling herself short. Blue took action, pushing Cheza back into Serena and stood before them protectively. Growling the older woman eyed the shadows near the three dumpsters.

Paling, Serena glanced over at Haruka who was standing calmly next to her. Dutifully, Blue sniffed at the air and then snorted. Worried, Serena asked, "What, what do you smell?"

The older woman shook her head. "Nothing," she answered simply. "The garbage is overpowering my sense of smell."

Serena sighed, her eyes darting towards the dumpsters. Her lips formed a thin line, as she eyed the dark shadows. Releasing the frown, she caught her bottom lip between her teeth and worried it. Her eyes then fell to the girl she held tightly to her.

Wait a minute, she thought.

"Cheza," she started, her voice not even hinting to the fear she felt. "What's over there?" Serena pointed to the shadows even though she stared at the other girl.

"Wolves," came the simple answer.

But how?

"How do you know?" Serena asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. The girl didn't answer, not that Serena had expected her to.

Sighing, she let the other girl go, before she moved to stand next to Blue. Shoving aside the swarm of fear she felt and the fact that she had to repeatedly wipe her hands on her clothes to keep them dry. Licking her dry lips, she called out, "Hello…"

She waited a beat, listening carefully. "It's okay," she tried, hoping to ease them out of their hiding place. "We want to help you."

Serena wasn't all that surprised when she heard a dignified snort come from the dumpster. Blue next to her, growled low in her throat. Frowning, the small blonde reached up to keep her friend from doing anything rash.

"She said she wanted to help us," came a soft voice. Another snort, this one sounding angrier than the last one.

Serena fisted her hands at her sides and slowly, being careful, she took several steps towards the dumpster. "If you're hurt," she said, her voice sounding calm, something she didn't feel. "I can help you."

Staring at the edge of the dumpster, she waited for whoever was there to make the next move. She was startled, to say the least, when a long snout peered out. Then slowly the rest of the head appeared and then a neck and shoulders.

Tantalizingly, the small sleek bluish black wolf emerged from the shadows. It was clearly young and clearly feminine. Dark eyes, nearly black in color regarded her wearily.

Heart pounding, Serena slowly dropped to her knees. "Wow," she whispered, sounding breathless. The wolf was gorgeous. Her fur was perfectly trimmed, with the tail long and shaggy. The ears were flat against her head, even as she inched forward.

The wolf paused a foot away from her, unwilling to take the last step. Her head was bent low, but her lips didn't curl back into a snarl when Serena reached out to pet her.

Leaning into the touch, the wolf seemed to purr in content, when the blonde scratched her behind the ears. Cupping the wolf's face, Serena smiled. "You're beautiful," she said softly, meaning it.

Suddenly, another nose shot out from behind the dumpster. Serena had only noticed it when it sniffed at the air.

Slowly a second wolf moved out into the alley. This wolf was as dark as the first. But she was clearly much older. She was as slender as the one before Serena, but her coat was thicker and longer. The course fur was raven black and the eyes that stared at her hotly, were violet in color.

"Well hello," Serena said with a smile. This new wolf was as gorgeous as the first.

To the blonde's amazement, a third wolf appeared. It was another female, older than the other two. Her hair was thin and long, her tail shaggy like the others. Her coat was black, but there was a hint of something else mixed along the raven strands. Cool garnet stone shone in the light, staring up at her as if they held a secret only she knew.

As the older wolf moved forward, Serena caught the distinct limp, as she favored her front left leg.

"The blood of a wolf," Haruka said without explanation. Frowning, Serena turned to look at the older woman. "Excuse me," she asked.

The taller blonde smirked. "That was how Cheza knew they were here. The blood of a wolf effects her. When that wolf there was hurt, Cheza knew."

Serena nodded and turned to look back at the injured wolf. "Haruka," she said, her voice sounding eerily calm. "Do you have any money?"

With a shrug, Haruka replied, "some… why do you ask?" Standing, the younger blonde turned towards her friends. "Lets rent a motel room for the night. I want to take a look at her leg," she said, indicating to the injured wolf.

The corner of Haruka's mouth twitched, as if she wanted to smile. "Some things will never change," she said in a way to explain her amusement. The older women then turned and walked off, her hands stuffed into her pant's pocket.

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Rayne StarDust: Chibi Usa, you know I'm not sure… I was thinking about giving her a liter, considering he's a wolf and all… but I donno…

keikabee: yes she is…

Raepan: How could I burn Tuna helper, well if you knew me, you would know why right away… see I have this problem. If a show I like is on TV, everything else gets wiped from my mind. So as I made Dinner, Are You Afraid of the Dark came on… so in conclusion I forgot I was making dinner. I would sooo love to be able to cook, but I just don't have any gumption for it. You are sooooooooo lucky. A crock pot??? Eh… Oh how mean!!!! you're going to tempt me with Chocolate chip cookies just like BlueFrost did. L it's a cruel world… I guess I'll put you done on the list for Friday…

BlueFrost: I hate to say this, but no her mom does not show up. As for finding Kiba… well another Full Moon is just around the corner… kick the bucket, nope not yet…

I want to read!: Hmmm, maybe it was the site, I don't know what I could do, since I have no way to contact you…

Chibi Pyro Duo: Yea, I realize that.. Blue I have a hard time understanding her character. I think that might be why she's there, but not there… she kind of comes and goes in the plot. Well lets hope the boys have their father's good looks…

Raye-chan: Yea I know making Irene like this was risky… considering everyone makes her into a loving mother who is willing to help a stranger… But I decided that her losing the man she loved hardened her a bit… yes she's still loving, still nice to strangers, but she's protective. Losing Tsuki made her value what she had left a lot more than necessary. Hey cool, yea Wolf Rain is awesome, I hope you enjoy it!

Sunshine Fia: Like I said before… a Full Moon is coming so it would only be right to have another rendezvous right? Actually its not long now when she runs into those two, and its not going to be pretty. Actually I plan to put up my story Amorous, (Sere/Tsume) up very soon.

Kagero: Okay I've read your review a few times, and I totally understand where you're getting at. I started this story with no plot really in mind, as I wrote it, a lot formed. By then it was way too late to even think about putting in Sailor Moon. To do so now would ruin the story. And also, I think I need more practice with this crossover before I multitask with it…

Concrete Tenshi: Well I would have had her fly the plane, but I think that would have ruined Serena's character. Really? Kunzite was a surprise? Wow, I didn't think I was that good at being sneaky. I thought the whole phone calls would give it away. Well Serena doesn't even know she's pregnant, so she might have a hard time telling him… I just figured Cheza would know since she's sort of linked with the wolves. I have a question, one that has been bothering me. Cheza's her name, right? I mean its hard for me to tell because my DVD is in Subtitles, so they aren't always correct. So Cheza isn't like another word for Flower Maiden, right? I've been wondering about this for some time now. Also I have one more question for you. Tsume… to you, how old does he look?


	14. Chapter fourteen

Well considering that those who did vote, asked for the earliest day possible, and the rest of you just didn't vote at all. So as you can see Friday won.

I just made it late Friday evening…

Thanks goes out to: **Rayne StarDust, Chibi-Midnight-Sakai, Concrete Tenshi, Flame Ivy Moon, Blood River, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Kagero, Jypsee, GambitGirl2008, Prophetess of Hearts, me, bluefrost, Chibi Pyro Duo, blackrosebunny451, Raye-chan, Fellow, platinum star, LiLSeReNiTiE, Serenity Komoshiro, keika, Lady Tristana Rogue.**

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****

Chapter fourteen:

Noodles and Hamburgers

They found an old motel not far from the restaurant. Given the key that would unlock doors, number six and eight, the group of four walked outside.

Wiping a hand across her brow, Serena suddenly wished that the air was cooler, like it had been back home. But unlike her old city, this one held the sun right above them, with blistering heat waves rising from the asphalt during the day. On a night like this, it was muggy and hot.

"Number six and eight is this way," Haruka directed. They followed the length of the building, turning the corner when it did and reached the rooms they would be sharing.

"So how do we plan to split up," Blue suddenly asked, her eyes darting from one woman to the other. Serena's brows furrowed, as she thought about that complicated question. "Well I'll stay with the other wolves. Blue, you and Cheza can share with Haruka. I trust you," she said.

Blue seemed pleased by the smaller girl's words. So she let Serena take the key to number eight. Just as the small blonde slipped it into the lock and turned the key, Haruka let her objections be known. "I don't think you should be alone with some wolves."

The older woman's eyes narrowed a fraction when she had said wolves. "You cant trust them," she added.

"Speak for yourself," came the biting reply from behind her. Turning, the group of four, looked at the three wolves. The two younger ones were helping the eldest.

The corner of Serena's mouth lifted into a smile. "You don't have a lot of room to talk," she said, as she turned her eyes to the other blonde. "I just met you today, and I trust you. Why shouldn't I trust them?" she inquired, her hand waving to the three who slowly hobbled towards them.

Propping the door open, Serena let the wolves in first. "Why don't you call your boss, Kunzite I believe is his name, and tell him that you gained my trust. But if I see anymore Nobles, I'm out of here." Turning from the group, she stepped into her room and shut the door behind her.

"Its probably best to be in separate rooms," she said beneath her breath. Taking a small step forward, she felt her heart squeeze. She winced, her hand lifting to rub at her chest, absently.

She's with Blue, she told herself. _Blue can take care of her. _Serena gritted her teeth, her eyes hardening. "I can't be with her all the time!" she argued with herself.

The pain in her chest lightened, the ache slowly fading.

Looking up suddenly, Serena felt heat burn in her cheeks. The three wolves were staring at her from the bed. The injured wolf was lying on the grungy looking mattress, her head cocked to one side. If Serena didn't know any better, she would have thought the older wolf looked amused.

"Sorry," she muttered, before moving towards the bed. "Okay let me look at your leg and I'll see what I can do."

The wolf stretched her leg out as far as she dared. Leaning forward, Serena inspected the long crescent moon gash, that curved from her shoulder blade to the front of her left leg. "What did you run into," she wondered aloud.

Moving away, she went to the bathroom and returned with a wet wash cloth and a towel. "I don't have a first aid kit, so I'm going to have to do this the hard way," she explained.

Back at the bed, she took hold of the wolf's front leg to hold it still. The tension in the sleek body was warranted. "All I'm going to be able to do is clean it and wrap it," she said sadly. "We can only hope it wont get infected."

Grimacing, she pressed the wet cloth to the cut, dabbing it as she washed the access blood and dirt that had accumulated. Each touch was greeted with a wince, or a jerk from the slender wolf. And with each press, Serena muttered a sorry, as she fought threatening tears.

When she finished, she set the dirty cloth aside. "What could I-" she paused when she eyed the sheet on the bed. "They probably wouldn't even notice," she mused aloud. Taking the end of the sheet, she went to work on tearing off the bottom.

"All right, stand up," she ordered, when she managed to get a reasonable length of the sheet. When the wolf complied, Serena wrapped it tightly across the shoulders and beneath the front leg of the large wolf. She tucked the last part in. "That should hold until I can find some gauze tape," she explained.

The other two wolves had watched from the floor. But when Serena had finished, they leaped to the bed, to check the third wolf. "Sorry I couldn't do better. I don't have a lot of practice in this kind of thing," she said sheepishly.

Scratching the back of her neck nervously, she smiled at the three wolves.

xxxx

An hour later, Haruka knocked on the door and gave Serena some food she had bought at the restaurant nearby. "I talked to Kunzite," she said conversationally, as she set the several bags on the small table near the door. "He told me what I should order for everyone, since I was a little leery on asking."

Serena frowned slightly, as she watched Haruka move. The older woman emptied the bags and handed out food. Hamburgers and fries for the wolves. They were also given bowls of water to drink from.

"He also told me to get you this," she said, handing Serena a carton of noodles. The younger blonde sighed slightly, her mouth forcing a smile. "Thanks," she said halfheartedly. She was desperately wanting something else.

"And this," Haruka added when she saw the younger girl's expression.

Serena's eyes widened when she saw the package of a bloody looking hamburger. She swallowed the collecting saliva and took the package greedily. She hadn't felt like this since the full moon. _When Kiba and I shared that antelope, _Serena realized.

This was what she had been craving for since that night. When she had eaten noodles or junk food, she had been secretly craving raw meat. The thought made her stomach churn and growl at the same time.

"Well enjoy," Haruka said with a secret smile. "Kunzite said hi and Jadeite said, well, never mind what he said." Her lips quirked, as she saw the hungry look in the small girl's eyes. "I'll come by in the morning." With that, she shut the door, leaving the motel room.

Serena eyed the thick mound of hamburger, her mouth watering. What was happening to her? _What is wrong with me_, she asked herself. Before, she could hardly stand to even eat meat on holidays with her friends. And yet now, she was ready to tear into the paper.

Methodically, she tore the paper covering open. The rancid smell of raw meat had the three wolves lifting their heads. Her insides quivered, despite the fact that her mouth salivated at the scent.

I'm practically drooling over raw meat, she accused. _Get a hold of yourself, Serena!_

A small sound escaped her parted lips, just before she licked them hungrily. _Maybe a tiny bite wont hurt, _she wondered. Her fingers twitched to rake her nails into the bread to reach the meat, just so that she could lick them clean.

Growling, she suddenly threw the meat away from her. "What is wrong with me!" she shouted. Serena dropped into a crouched position, her hands holding her head. She moaned aloud, her head throbbing. "I cant take it," she said, her voice sounding sad.

Carefully she stood from where she had dropped to the floor. Ignoring the curious looks from the three wolves, she made her way to where the meat laid. Dropping to her knees, she lifted the hamburger from its paper covering.

Unable to deny herself now, or stop the heinous act, she devoured the meat. When she finished, she licked her fingers cleaned.

Greedily, she licked her lips, until all traces of blood was gone. Blinking, her body suddenly shuddered.

Serena gagged, her stomach heaving the contents she had just consumed. Jumping to her feet, she ran from the room and slipped into the bathroom. She reached the bathroom in time to throw up the raw meat.

Shaking, she flushed the toilet. Tears filled her eyes, as she fell back to lean against the wall of the bathroom. "What is going on," she whispered, the silence that filled the tiny room. She drew in a shuddering breath, her body trembling at the same time. Her arms wrapped themselves around her drawn up knees.

A soft knock on her door an hour later, distracted her from her flood of tears. Looking up, she saw Haruka slip into the room. "You look horrible," she commented. The taller woman shut the door and knelt down next to the smaller girl. "I was told you weren't feeling so hot." she said as a way to explain her sudden appearance.

Serena lifted her shoulders weakly. "I've felt better," was her muttered reply.

Haruka reached out, to touch Serena's face. Cupping the younger girl's cheeks, she forced the blonde to look at her. "You probably think your dieing," she mused. "But your way off. In fact your body is just rejuvenating itself."

The younger girl stared at the woman in front of her. Confusion, and doubt filled her dark eyes. Haruka smirked, her own eyes glowing with a hint of mirth. "Your father, like most Nobles eat meat. Kunzite informed me that you don't," she said.

Serena nodded as if the older woman had asked her a question. "What you're feeling now, is from your father's genes. When you met Cheza, his genes grew stronger and are developing themselves."

The small blonde groaned, her mouth forming a thin line of contempt. Haruka nodded, "Why don't you get some sleep, by morning you should be feeling better." Standing, the tall woman held out her hand. Serena used the older woman for leverage and heaved herself up to her feet.

They left the bathroom and soon Haruka left the motel room, to go back to her own again.

With a small sigh, Serena moved to the bed and laid down amongst the sleeping wolves. Curling up, she closed her eyes. The smallest wolf moved closer, lending her her body heat.

Serena reached down to scratch the wolf behind the ears. Slowly she began to drift, the last few days catching up to her.

"Kiba," she murmured, just before her hand stilled and she fell into a deep sleep.

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I know, I know, very short chapter. Shortest one so far, and will be the shortest ever. You will never come across another chapter this short, guaranteed. I would have made it longer, but that would have ruined the next chapter.

This chapter is a leading Chapter. A chapter that prepares you for another much more satisfying chapter.

Another Guarantee… action. Serena finds that her peaceful moment is coming to a crashing end. From here on out, the course is going to be fast and rocky for Serena O'Donnell.

Just what do I have in store for poor Serena?

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Reviews:

Rayne StarDust: Actually, the girl will be turning 18 soon, its just that most of the story plays in during when she is 17. I was asking, to see if people would be disgusted. There's 11 years diff between my parents, and I don't see anything wrong. But I personally don't think I could go for a guy much older. But I think I make it work out just fine with Amorous. Ty for the help. :D

Concrete Tenshi: Oh okay, tyvm! Man that helps. Hehe my DVD plays in subtitles so I cant really rely on their wording, especially if they spell their names four different ways. I totally agree with you, Tsume looks much much older than the other wolves. Late twenties… but I think for Amorous I'll just hint towards late twenties, not give an exact age… Ty, yes, Haruka was a rabbit pulled out of the hat. I was grasping for ideas, and she popped into my mind. Ty for your help. :D

Jewelclaw Lady of Wind: Like with Haruka, the three wolves were rabbit out of the hat. A reviewer asked if I could add in the senshi. I asked her to pick her favorites, in which she gave me four. So I picked three of the four, and added Haruka. The wolves fur are a hint to who they are… as for the guys, well you'll see what they are up to soon enough.

Kagero: I've been working on Amphorous lately, and I have been considering rewritting Sailor Moon with the Nobles as the bad guys, and wolves helping Serena. Just a thought though. Ty for your help, and your opinion of my question of age. I really appreciate it. :D

Jypsee: Tyvm! Yes I think I will go for it, now if only I could write another chapter…

Prophetess of Hearts: Kiba will be appearing soon.

blue frost: Oh boy, and you thought last chapter was short. I'm really sorry, but I promise no more short chapters after this. Nope, Serena has no wolf in her. She's half Noble and Half Human. Well actually I've decided to just say the guy is in his late Twenties. And the girl is 17 turning 18. Its just the story is based on her being 17 for the most of it. I cant make her any older because it would ruin the effect of the story. If this helps… the girl is 17 and living out on the streets. The summery is in my Profile under Amorous. As well as the couple… ty for your help. :D

Chibi Pyro Duo: oooh close. Two out of three. Hint, the fur on the wolves gives them away… I'll try working better with Blue. Like I said before, I have a hard time reading her. You don't think the ages are appropriate? Well what if I say, the guy is in his late Twenties… and the girl is 17 nearly 18 years old. I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm just working on another story with a whole new plot. _Amorous_. If your curious, the summery is in my Profile.

Raye-chan: Kiba will be showing up soon. Ty for your help on my question. I'm going to write it, whether people like the age thing. I was just curious about peoples opinion of the age difference. :D

Keika: actually the girl is 17 close to turning 18. The story sticks close to her being 17, but she will be 18 before the story ends.

All right people, I am off to take my vaction. I will see you all Monady the 30th. Till then!

LP


	15. Chapter fifteen

Welcome back to another chapter of Nobility. I must say its great to be back after a week of being away. But as I promised another chapter is here for you on another Monday.

I would like to thank the wonderful people who reviewed for the inconsiderate short chapter I put up last week. So I am deeply sorry for being so rude in leaving you high and dry for so long.

A thanks goes to:** Concrete Tenshi, Serenity Komoshiro, Kitty-demon92, pure-sweet, blackrosebunny451, lady reaper, Rayne StarDust, Raepan, Flame Ivy Moon, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Sere, Kagero, Mika, Lady Tristana Rogue, Raye-chan, jypsee, Angelic Sazuka.**

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Chapter fifteen:

On the Run

"Serena!"

Jumping up in bed, Serena blinked rapidly to clear her vision. "Wha-what?" she called back, looking around the room.

"Get up Serena, come on!"

Nodding, she fumbled from the bed, ignoring the insistent growling from the three wolves. On her feet, she started for the door.

The raven haired wolf jumped in front of her, snapping her teeth. "Not that way," she growled, her voice menacing.

Swallowing, the blonde turned and hurried to the back window. Throwing it open, she clambered out. As soon as she was on her feet, the three wolves followed her, jumping out the window and landing next to her.

From the room next to them, another window was thrown open. A man stuck his head out to look. "There they are!"

Serena jerked back when he pulled a gun, aiming it at her. The youngest wolf leaped, her mouth clamping down on the man's arm. "Run Serena!" came the shrill reply. The man screamed, his hand releasing the gun as he tried to break the wolf's grip.

Lunging forward, Serena grabbed the gun and turned to run. She let out a shriek as more men, dressed in armor stood there. Falling back, she landed on her rear. The two wolves leaped in front of her, protecting her.

"Go Serena," the older wolf ordered.

"Serena!" came a shout from behind her.

Climbing to her feet, the blonde turned and ran. A shout, followed by a cry, had her turning to look behind her. The three wolves had attacked the group of soldiers, before they could even shoot their guns.

Serena reached Haruka and the two of them ran towards Blue and Cheza. Together at last, the four of them ran, having no choice but to flee.

"How?" Serena asked aloud, her voice sounding tired already.

Haruka was next to her, almost appearing as if she were just jogging. "I talked with my brother. He said that Jagara is using a machine that tracks Cheza. That's how they found us."

"They," the smaller blonde asked, her pace slowly.

Frowning the older woman paused in her steps, scooped the tired blonde into her arms and started running again. She matched her pace with Blue, who was carrying Cheza in her arms.

"Jagura's men, she's using Cheza to find you Serena," Haruka finally said, her voice sounding hard. She darted from the road, running towards a deserted alley. "I think we should split up."

Serena shook her head at the very thought. "I-I cant leave Cheza, or Blue."

Haruka sighed, lowering the blonde to her feet, so that she could stealthily peer around the corner of the brick wall. Her eyes hardened on what she saw. "Its my job to protect you Serena, not your friends. I believe the best possible action would be for us to divide our numbers and flee." She pulled back to look at the three behind her.

Staring at the taller woman incredulously, she replied, "Haruka, I don't think you understand. I wont leave them." She waved her hand towards Blue and Cheza. Her exhaustion pushed aside, she found herself riled up with anger.

Blue eased Cheza to the ground. She followed Haruka's movements and peered around the wall. "They must have spotted us, they're coming this way," she said, her voice hinting towards concern.

"What," Serena asked and moved to look. Her eyes widened at the group of men dressed in matching uniforms. Among them, were two very distinguishable gentlemen.

"I thought I told you no more Nobles," she hissed, while drawing back from the corner. She gave Haruka a heated glare, waiting for the older woman to explain herself.

"They're not here for those reasons Serena," Haruka replied carefully. "My brothers still works for Jagura. They're putting their lives on the line to keep you safe and keep Jagura off your trail."

The small blonde frowned and looked back around the corner. She swallowed nervously. _How could we get passed them, without being detected?_ she wondered.

Blue moved first. Taking Cheza into her arms, she said, "We have no choice Serena. I'll take Cheza and have them follow us. You find a place to hide."

Turning to the other woman, Serena shook her head. "I couldn't let you do that Blue. Cheza's my responsibility," she said, looking from the wolf to the flower maiden and back again.

Cheza looked at her, her red eyes displaying nothing for Serena to know what she was thinking or feeling. Tilting her head slightly, the flower maiden raised her hand to touch Serena's stomach like she had done on the ship. "Kiba," she said, her voice sounding calm. There wasn't even a hint of a smile when she said his name.

As if understanding her, Blue added, "We'll find the guys and tell them what's going on. We should meet up… a place and time-" she said, her voice trailing off as she considered her own words.

Haruka nodded, not giving Serena the chance to object. "Jagura's castle. There is a city that surrounds it, we should head there. By then my brothers will have found a way to destroy the machine that tracks Cheza."

Blue nodded. She reached for Cheza, pulling the small girl back into her arms. "be careful," she whispered, before turning and running back in the direction they had come from.

Serena stared, her eyes watching as Cheza and Blue darted around a corner. A shout rose and heavy footfalls drew closer. Haruka grabbed the small blonde and yanked her towards a doorways in the middle of the alley. Throwing it open, she pulled her burden inside with her.

"I-I have to go-" Serena said, as she struggled against the older woman's arms. "I need to protect her."

Haruka grunted when she was jabbed by an errant elbow, but her grip didn't slacken at all. "No Serena, there are more important things to worry about.

"First we need to find a place to hide, and then I need to find a phone," she said and pulled the smaller girl after her.

XXXX

He delicately sniffed at the air, as if fearing he might destroy what lingering scent there was left. Moving silently forward, his paws hardly pressed into the dirt as he moved West.

He felt torn, like a part of him wanted to split and head in two directions. At first his destination had been simple. _Easily to decipher, _he thought with some despair.

But all of that had changed in one night. During a fitful rest, things had changed. While his nose now lead him West, another part of him told him that he was going the wrong way.

Pausing in stride he stared ahead, his golden eyes unblinking in the darkness. He had waited until nightfall to venture ahead. It had become hard to travel during the day. With Jagura's men and Darcia after him, things had become complicated.

Cheza he wondered, his head turning to look behind him. He could sense her, heading North and moving fast. It didn't seem like she was in trouble, or in danger of being hurt. But then, he couldn't quite trust his instincts on her well being.

This almost made him turn back. Almost had him turning North and continuing on his journey to find the Flower Maiden, who would take him to paradise.

A growl nearby had him looking up.

Lowering his head towards the ground, he growled in return. He tensed, his muscles contracting, as he prepared for a fight if the newcomer indeed attacked him.

"You're just a boy," came a soft voice from the shadows. Slowly a person emerged. She appeared human, but he knew better.

He growled again, giving her a warning to keep her distance.

She chuckled, her voice sounding deep. "It's alright boy, I wont harm you." She sounded sincere and because of this his tension slipped some. She moved further into the light of the moon. _Tomorrow would be the full moon_, the thought alone nearly had him howling with ecstasy.

Tearing his thoughts from the night to come, he eyed the stranger. She was older by far, but not an elder. Her olive skin stretched over muscles that had been defined over years of being an active wolf. Her hair, rather long fell in a mass of black strands to her thighs, the front pulled into a bun.

She was dressed comfortably and yet oddly. A long sleeved black shirt that molded into the black skirt that fit snuggly at her hips. Her legs were bare to her knees, where knee length boots began and ended with a rather sharp looking heel. A pare of garnet stones watched him with a hint of amusement in their depths.

"Come wolf, join my sisters and myself. We will give you a place to sleep tonight," she offered, her tone light and casual. He found no hidden meaning to the offer. "Tomorrow you can make your decision," she added with a knowing look.

Turning the older woman's image wavered and took the form of a sleek looking black wolf. She bounded off, not caring if he would follow or not.

He sniffed at the air and jerked back in surprise. _Serena?_

He stared after the wolf, knowing the smell had come from the she-wolf. _How? _he wondered. On their on accord his feet moved and he ran after the wolf.

The smell of the human who had haunted him since the battle with Darcia lingered from the she-wolf's fur. Forcing himself to move faster, he was determined to find out why.

XXXX

She found herself standing outside. Well maybe not as herself, but her, in someone else's body. She had no control of herself, as she lifted her head to look up at the full moon.

"Serena!" came a shout from behind her.

Turning, a five year old child found her mother running towards her. The screen door of the house slammed shut as her mother jumped from the porch. "What on Earth are you doing out here?" her mother shouted, her face flushed with anger.

The young girl glanced back at the moon, blue eyes staring raptly at it. Her mother grabbed her by her shoulders, forcing her to turn away from the glowing orb.

"Serena," she said again, her voice more of a fierce whisper.

Tilting her head slightly, the young girl stared at her mother as if she were a stranger. "I heard someone crying," she explained carefully. "She was crying because of the blood that had been shed."

Her mother shook her suddenly, her eyes blazing. "Who Serena, tell me who!" she ordered.

"I don't know who she is, but I've heard her cry before," she explained, her head turning back towards the full moon.

"She cries over the loss of her wolves."

"NO!" her mother shouted. Wrenching the smaller girl forward, the mother pulled her into her arms.

"No mommy, I cant leave her," the child pleaded. "She needs me!"

The older woman shook her head. "No. This will end now, you will never know of the Flower Maiden's existence, I'll make sure of that," was her mother's harsh vow. "I will not lose you to her, too."

The image she was watching from someone else's eyes began to fade. She felt herself being extracted, so that she was able to watch the mother carry the child into the house.

As things grew dark and the full moon's glorious image dimmed, she could clearly make out someone crying.

Serena opened her eyes suddenly, the dream she had just had fresh on her mind. "Cheza," she murmured. Instinctively, her body began to move. Dragging the blanket from her body, she lifted herself from the floor.

"Cheza," she said again, her voice sounding firmer. It was Cheza who she was hearing.

"Serena."

Serena hesitated, her eyes straying from the near perfect full moon. Looking back, she saw Haruka climb to her feet from where she had been lying on a mat.

"You can't go to her yet," the other woman said softly.

The younger blonde looked back out at the moon. "I can hear her crying," she whispered, as tears of her own surfaced. "She cried because of the blood shed," her brows drew together as she spoke. "Whose blood?"

Haruka moved up behind her and carefully enfolded the smaller girl into her arms. "Cheza is connected to the wolves. She can feel what they feel," she explained carefully. "You're connected to Cheza because of your bond. That is why you feel what she feels.

"Its important for you to know her well-being at all times, so that you can protect her."

Serena continued to gaze up at the moon. "When I was five I heard her crying. My mom had my memory erased of the event," she said her voice turning bitter. "I only heard her cry that one time."

Haruka tightened her arms around the smaller blonde. "That was the year the fire was set to the mountains. That fire wiped out most of the wolves," Haruka replied.

Shivering, the younger woman extracted herself from Haruka's embrace. As she moved back to the small mat on the floor, she asked, "Were you able to get a hold of your bothers?"

The taller woman followed her and laid down next to Serena. She nodded as she stretched lazily. "Yes," she answered through a yawn. "He said they will be heading North in the morning and said we should wait until nightfall to travel."

Serena nodded. She rolled over onto her side, her arms wrapped around her drawn up knees. She thanked the older woman when she covered her with a blanket, but said nothing else.

Closing her eyes, she fought it hard to ignore the wrenching sobs that echoed through her mind. A wolf had been horribly injured tonight.

Her breath hitched and she buried her face into her knees, hoping to hide her own tears. _Please don't let it be Kiba_, she pleaded. _And please let Blue be safe._

Please, she begged, the voice in her head sounding raw with emotions. _Please let the guys be all right. Let them all be safe._

She drifted off to a troubled sleep while she prayed for the safety of the wolves she had grown to care about so much.

I need you Kiba…

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What a week I had! Man, at first I thought it was going to be horrible… but it all turned out great. I hope you guys had a good week, it would only be fair.

So tell me, what do you think about this chapter. Not a long one, but it was longer. A little bit of Kiba in this one. I guarantee he will be in the next chapter. Why? Well because its going to be the Full Moon. Yea!!!

Haha, well the story is drawing to a close. About eight or so chapters to go. Hehehe.

Sorry, I'm not exactly all with it at the moment as I'm writing this. So all mistakes left uncorrected are because of my drunkenness.

**__**

Reviews:

Concrete Tenshi: Actually I think its too early for Serena to have morning sickness. Love the compliment. Thank you so much!

Serenity Komoshiro: Nope her father was just a pure Noble.

Kitty-demon92: Actually I wouldn't say you were way off. I think I might say you hit the nail on the head.

pure-sweet: A transformation? No not really, but her powers do show later on…

Raepan: My mom is always trying to make me cook. I cant help it if all I can make is hamburger helper, tacos, Mac and cheese, and tuna helper. She finally just got tired of the same thing over and over again. She just doesn't have time to teach me, and all her cook books are pack away. Cant say that I tried. I mean I make a great mac and cheese from the box. I've always been complimented…

Jewelclaw Lady of Wind: actually the youngest is Hoto chan. I would say the last one was correct. A combo.

Kagero: If you're meaning romance, I don't think I could work it, unless I wrote a sequel. Something I don't plan on doing this I think would just ruin it… Women craving, I was told it was around mid stage. Like third or fourth month. So Serena isn't having cravings…

Lady Tristana Rogue: shhhhh that's a secret!!! Man you're gonna give away my plans…

Raye-chan: You know good question… lets leave that one up to Haruka's mysteriousness…

So… I guess I will see you guys all next Monday. Hope you have a great week!

LP


	16. Chapter sixteen

Well here we are, another chapter into Nobility. This chapter is what all of you have been waiting for since chapter eight, guarantee.

I want to thank all of you who reviewed.

****

Jypsee, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Raepan, Serenity Komoshiro, Taiki, Concrete Tenshi, Flame Ivy Moon, blackrosebunny451, pure sweet, Lady Tristana Rogue, Raye-chan.

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Chapter sixteen:

Rendezvous By Moonlight

Lifting his head, Kiba directed his gaze to the broken window near him. His eyes fell on the nearly translucent moon. The sun was starting to rise and the moon's glow had dimmed in the early morning light.

Tonight was the full moon, he thought in wonder. His heart thumbed hard against his rib cage, as excitement enticed his blood.

"Good, you're awake," came a dry voice from behind him.

Frowning, Kiba turned to face the new comer. The wolf he had met last night had informed him of sisters. But he didn't meet them during their run to shelter, or even when she told him he could rest here for the night.

Eyeing the young woman, he sniffed at the air. Snorting, he felt a soft growl emanate from the back of his throat. He could smell _her _on this wolf as well.

The young wolf, who appeared to be around his age tossed her long raven hair off her shoulder. "What's got you all riled up stranger," she asked, her voice silky. Violet eyes flashed in his direction.

"Stop teasing him sister," came a young voice. He looked sharply towards another window. A wolf with bluish black fur leaped into the room. Impishly, it moved towards them, a small spring in her steps. "You shouldn't be mean to Pluto's guest," she inquired. While she talked, the small wolf reverted into her human form.

She was nothing but a cub, he realized. About Toboe's age, maybe even younger. She wasn't short, but rather tall for being so young. Her dark hair was chopped short of her shoulders, the strands appearing nearly blue in color under the light of the rising sun. Violet eyes stared at him softly, their gaze neither suspicious, nor innocent.

She was dressed oddly, wearing mostly black. A black long sleeve turtle neck that seemed to mold into the short skirt she wore at her hips. Dark navy blue tights hid her rather long legs, while simple black shoes adored her feet.

"Oh come on baby sister I was only teasing," replied the first woman he met, upon waking.

He looked back at her. She looked nothing like the younger wolf.

In fact her raven strands that were kept rather long, held a hint of violet that matched her narrowed eyes.

Like her sister, she wore all black. A plain black form fitting long sleeve shirt. One that also seemed to mold into her loose fitting skirt. Unlike her sister though, her legs were bare save for a pair of black heels on her feet.

"Are you two fighting again," came a third voice.

He recognized her from last night. She wore the same from last night, an outfit identical to her sisters, and yet unique in its own way.

Weary that he was outnumbered, he let his image form his human one. "Much better," commented the oldest. He snorted, not caring for her opinion.

A small smile tugged at her lips. "Don't take comments well, I see," she mused and moved to join her sisters. "I don't believe we introduced ourselves," she began.

Looking at him closely, she introduced herself and her sisters. "I am Pluto, and these are my sisters Mars and Saturn."

He nodded, his eyes moving from one to the other. There was only a hint of resemblance between the three of them. "Kiba," he said shortly.

The one named Saturn smiled and moved forward to address him. "Are you looking for the Flower Maiden," she inquired.

Startled, he nodded before catching himself.

The younger wolf broke out into another smile. "We saw her," she began, sounding earnest. "Two days past. She was with three other women."

"Saturn!" came the sharp reprimand from the middle sister. The younger one yelped and backed away.

Mars looked agitated as she shot her younger sister a withering look. "Don't believe a word she says Kiba," she started, her voice bending with worry. He could easily see she was lying. "She likes to pretend, you know, cubs do that…"

"That's enough Mars," Pluto hushed the other wolf.

Kiba looked from one to the other, his eyes narrowing. Together, the smell he caught lingering on them was nearly overpowering.

Without meaning to, he blurted out, "Why do you smell like her?"

All three sniffed the air delicately. Saturn even so much as sniffed her sister's. They turned back to him looking troubled.

Frustrated, he looked at one and then the other. Why wouldn't they tell him anything? _What are they hiding,_ he thought angrily. He sniffed at the air, catching the scent. "All of you do. I smelled it last night when you brought me here and I smell it now," he said, maybe a little to harshly. "Tell me why do you smell like her?"

Mars scowled, her arms moving to cross over her chest. But she said nothing.

Saturn dropped her head, her eyes taking on a distant look. Her manner looked rather submissive.

Kiba looked at Pluto finally, expectantly waiting for some kind of reply.

The older woman's eyes dropped and to his reluctance he followed her eyes. He stared at the dark cloth that was wrapped around her shoulder and under her arm. How he had missed it before, he couldn't understand. But the sight of it had his mind reeling.

"I had been hurt," she started to explain. "A man who was hunting wolves just outside our city got the better of me."

Lifting her eyes, Kiba found himself being forced to hold her stare. "We came here to rest. That was when the Flower Maiden came."

Kiba felt himself fold. Falling, he hit the ground and just sat there. A strong sense of relief washed over him. "She was in the company of three others," the older woman continued. "A human, a half wolf, and a Noble."

He frowned at this piece of information. _Was it the doctor and cop she was talking about? The one who had been searching for Cheza? _His frowned deepened in his confusion. _No, they were humans_, that he was sure of.

Ignoring the troubled look on his face, Pluto purged on with her story. "The human brought us to a motel, where she bandaged my wound. She was very peculiar."

Looking up from his lap, Kiba wondered what the older wolf meant. "They fed us and gave us shelter for the night. In return we protected them, when men with guns attacked the next morning," she finished simply.

Mars nodded, her arms uncrossing for a second, only to cross again. "If you're looking for the Flower Maiden, she headed North the day before last. She left with that half wolf," she explained.

Kiba shook his head. Before he had been torn between indecision. And yet, like how Pluto had told him, he had made his decision. "I'm not looking for Cheza," he said at last.

Saturn gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That was what Serena called her. The Flower Maiden, she called her Cheza!" she said, excitement rippling through her. He looked at her sharply. _Serena?_ He thought frantically. _This wolf knew of her, the girl whose scent lingers on their fur._

"You know Serena," he asked breathlessly. He could feel his skin ripple with fur. His wolf form wanting to burst free.

Instantly, the three wolves became weary.

Growling, he reverted to his wolf form, letting the beast within him free at last. "Tell me where she is," he snarled, his lips curling back. His golden eyes flashed in the shafts of sunlight.

Mars followed suit, her sleek raven fur sprouting from her skin as she took her wolf form. "Why should we," she bit back.

Pluto looked from one to the other. Saturn followed her sister's example, but had made a move to keep them apart. Hoping to stop a fight before it started. "Sister please," she begged, her voice sounding soft almost distant.

Kiba growled again, giving the three wolves one last warning before he decided to attack.

He leaned back, ready to pounce when the door to the old warehouse was shoved open.

"Have I come at a bad time," inquired a new voice.

It was then, when all hell broke loose.

XXXX

Serena had managed to persuade Haruka into staying in the city for another day. "I'm just too tired," had been her excuse. Which was a total lie, considering she had never felt so alive.

Garbed in new clothes and a new haircut, Serena stood outside a butcher shop. Licking her lips, she pressed her hands against the cool glass.

"Serena," asked Haruka who had finally found the young woman after leaving her to get her hair cut.

With the long tresses gone, Serena looked like a whole other person. The length was shocking, the blonde strands cut to her chin, being a drastic change from her knee length hair.

The smaller blonde turned to her in a fit of tears. "Haruka it's growing back!" she whined.

Frowning the taller blonde asked, "what do you mean?"

Sniffling, Serena replied, "I had the woman cut my hair like yours. And look at it now!" Haruka suddenly chuckled. "I guess I forgot. It is custom in your family to have long hair Serena. And with it being the full moon tonight, I'm not surprised," she explained with a small laugh.

The younger woman scowled. "I'm not amused," she said resentfully. Turning back, the blonde looked back into the butcher shop. Her eyes looked from the meat packages, to the limbs the butcher chopped for his customers.

"Anything look good," Haruka inquired. Numbly Serena nodded her head. "All of it looks delicious… I should really be grossed out," she said. "I used to never eat meat and look at me now."

With a grumble, she wrenched herself from the window and forced herself to pull away. With a sigh, she ran her hands through her short hair and nearly screamed. Already the length had reached her shoulders. _It was so frustrating! _she shouted to herself. What had happened to her normal life?

Where had things gone so terribly wrong? Serena was torn from her thoughts by a phone ringing. Looking over at Haruka expectantly, she watched as the woman pulled the Phone out, and answered with a brisk hello.

It soon was followed by a loud curse.

"It's a good thing we stayed here another day Serena," she said when she hung up. "I hope your healing touch is extra strong today," she added while grabbing the smaller blonde by the hand and tugged her along.

"Why, what's wrong?" she asked, sounding frantic. Haruka quirked a smile. "My brother found himself in a little problem," she said in a way of explaining herself.

Serena frowned. "Problem, what kind of problem," she asked. She hadn't forgotten what she had told Haruka on the bus the other day. She had had her fill of Nobles.

"Don't worry you haven't met this one yet. Kunzite sent him to check up on your wolf friends," she said while they turned the corner and followed the street. "Well you must know that Nobles and wolves don't get along…"

Panic filled her. "Th-they're okay, r-right? The wolves and- and your brother, right?"

Haruka nodded, her eyes hardening. "For the most part, but there was someone else there as well. And well lets say its not pretty."

Serena felt like cold water had been thrown over her head. Wrenching her hand from Haruka's, she bolted forward.

She didn't need to be told where to go, she felt like she already knew.

XXXX

Panting, he swiped at a strand of hair that had fallen loose from his ponytail. "Well that was fun," he said sarcastically. Pale green eyes flittered between the four wolves. _Outnumbered as usual,_ he thought bitterly. Not only did he had have to worry about it at home, but at work as well it seemed.

Rolling his eyes, he straightened his form. He knew wolves and his kind had their differences, but this was ridicules. Exhaling the breath he had been holding for most of the fight, he looked from one wolf to the other. "I have no qualms about wolves and I'm not here to wipe you out," he said through his teeth. Blood was sliding down his face, from a nasty gash where the smaller wolf had tried to scratch at his eyes.

It just wasn't fair, he thought with a grimace. They had looked ready to tear into each other. And instead, dragged him into the battle.

Looking at the only male wolf in the room, he eyed him carefully. His white fur stood out amongst the black wolves. He was busily licking the wounds inflicted upon him by the two older wolves. One had tried to tear his limbs off, while the other had been trying to break them apart.

The angry wolf who laid by herself was nursing her wounds as well.

Smirking, he turned to look at his own wounds. Just a few marks, nothing serious. The younger wolf hadn't intended to hurt him it appeared.

"I was sent here by my brother. I'm a Doctor in this city," he explained. "I was informed one of you had been injured the other day."

The eldest wolf stepped forward, red eyes watching him wearily. "Who told you this?" she asked.

He adjusted himself, before sitting down. "My sister. She was here the other day. I believe you met her."

The younger wolf stood. "the Noble lady. She was traveling with them," she said, looking at her sisters for confirmation. The third wolf sighed tiredly. "This is getting too damn complicated," she complained.

"Hey big brother," came another voice. Turning, he saw two women enter the old warehouse. A small smile graced his lips. "Haruka, I was told you left," he said lightly. The tall woman smirked. "Well someone had to bail you out of another mess, so it might as well be me." she replied jokingly.

He chuckled, but cut himself short when he saw who his little sister was with.

XXXX

Panting, Serena dug her nails into her thighs. They easily pressed through the thin layer of her jeans and bit into flesh that was underneath. Her chest rose and fell in an unsteady rhythm. She had run the whole way and never in her life did she feel so out of breath.

When the woman behind her had arrived, she had addressed the only man in the room. He was rather tall, but lean. Light brown, wavy hair, with just a hint of blonde was pulled back into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. The tail easily reached the small of his back. When the man finally noticed her, he regarded her with a pair of light green eyes.

He was clearly a Noble. With pale skin that held not a single wrinkle of age, or blemish, he _was _perfection. The only hindrance in his perfection, was the gash near his right eye that steadily bled. The clothes he wore gave her the impression of a doctor, but they were torn in several parts, as if claws had been slashed at him repeatedly.

Looking away from the man she hadn't met yet, she searched the rest of the warehouse. She spotted the three wolves. The younger one appeared to be the only one who wasn't nursing wounds.

Serena straightened her form, her back groaning with protest at the movement. While they looked a little rough for wear, the two older wolves appeared to be fine.

Movement from the corner of her eye, had her freezing in place. _This must be the other person Haruka told me about, _she thought. She heard the familiar sound of long nails clicking against cement floor, as whoever it was, stood. A flash of white had her gasping.

Jerking her head to the left, Serena stared at the white wolf, as he rose to his four legs. Tears flooded her eyes at the sight of him. She hadn't seen him since the night in Darcia's castle.

Serena lifted her hand to cover her mouth, as she drew in a shuddered breath. "Kiba," she whispered. Her tears fell, trailing down her cheeks, only to drip from her chin.

"Kiba!" she cried out. Running towards him, she dropped to her knees when she reached him. His wolf form faded into his human one, and she fell into his open arms, burying her face into his chest. Her arms were thrown around his neck and she held onto him desperately.

"Your okay," she sobbed, unable to contain her raging emotions. "I-I thought I would never see you again," she confessed brokenly. He nuzzled her neck with his nose, inhaling deeply. His arms tightened around her, bringing her flush against him.

Without warning, he went to his feet, bring her with him. In one swift movement, he cradled her against his chest.

Serena stared at him in surprise. He was looking at the others, his blue eyes narrowed as he sent them a warning look. "Kiba," she heard Haruka object.

Kiba only growled in reply, his arms tightening their grip around her. Crouching, he propelled himself into the air and landed with ease on a beam overhead. With the agility of a wolf, he race towards the opening above.

With a laugh, Serena locked her arms around his neck. He maneuvered through the opening and landed on the roof of the old warehouse.

She watched his face, as he studied each direction, as if looking for something. "Kiba," she started. But before she could say anymore, he started off. _He's heading east,_ she noted.

He easily leaped from one rooftop to the next, angling his body so that he felt the blunt of each landing and not her.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at some unknown destination outside the city limits. It was a small grove of trees that still stood.

Kiba eased her to her own feet, but didn't let her go.

Clutching him tightly to her, Serena lifted her head so that she could see his face. "Why," she began, her eyes searching his. "Why did you leave me?" She had to know.

His eyes bore into hers, while absently his hand ran along the middle of her back, his fingers tugging at the plain blue shirt she wore. "It was too dangerous," he explained. "There was a chance that we had to go weeks without eating and we traveled for days without rest.

"I couldn't do that to you, so I left you. Tsume agreed. It was just too dangerous."

Serena bit her lip, her emotions running wild. She slid her hands up along his arms and loosely wrapped them around his neck once more. "I was terrified Kiba," she whispered, her eyes never breaking contact with his. "I went after you, because I couldn't stand the thought that you had just left me there." She shivered slightly, remembering the time she had spent in the shower.

"I- I know you're looking for Cheza," she said, trying to drag her mind from the memories of that time she had felt emotionally dead. "I took her from Jagara, but we ended up having to split up. Blue is taking her to a city that is near Jagara's castle.

"She went looking for you guys," she explained. Frowning, she glanced around them. "Where- where are they?" she asked aloud, realizing suddenly that the other three were not with him.

"They're following Cheza," he said.

Serena nodded, her heart twisting harshly in her chest. "They went North, I'm sure you're in a hurry to follow her," she said softly, her voice straining. She made a move to break free from him, but his arms where like steel bands.

She looked up at him, here eyes filled with questions.

"I know where Cheza is heading. I've always known," he said before burying his face into the crook of her neck. She heard him inhale and his grip around her waist only tightened more.

"I came here looking for you," he added when he finally pulled away.

Serena didn't know what to say. Her mouth opened to say something, anything, but words failed her. She tried several times to express what his words had made her feel. Her heart was literally flying in her chest. A knot had formed in her throat, making it hard for her to breath or even speak.

Finally tears rushed to her eyes. Lifting her hands to his head, she laced her fingers through his dark hair and brought his face towards hers.

When their lips met, he growled and lifted her up, so that her feet no longer touched the ground. Desire blossomed between them.

Tilting his head, Kiba opened his mouth beneath hers and licked her lips. Gasping, Serena was caught by surprise when he depended the kiss.

A small sound escaped her, when his tongue dueled with hers.

Another growl, had her breaking away with a giggle. His eyes were glowing, as he slid her back to the ground. Knees weak, Serena had to clutch his shoulders to hold herself up. "Please," she begged, her eyes holding his.

Kiba growled again, but this time it sounded more like a purr. He pulled her back to him and his mouth hovered just an inch above hers. "Now is not the time to talk," he mimicked in a hushed whisper, before claiming her lips with his and gently lowered her to the ground.

XXXX

"You want me to what," Darien Shields asked incredulously. Pulling his cell phone from his ear, he stared at it for a long minute. Shaking his head, he replaced it back at his ear. "No I heard you fine, I just don't understand."

Molly Gem sighed, rolling her eyes impatiently. They did not have time to dawdle in some creepy old bus station. _Its been nearly four weeks, _she thought while pacing. _Four god damn weeks!_

Her patients towards her new partner had been worn down to the nitty gritty. It seemed like they had been wandering on some god forsaken goose chase. One that she was tired of. _Twenty-two days since they had seen Serena, _she thought in agitation. Pausing in her pacing, she looked towards the older man.

Frowning, she listened as he closed up the conversation at last. "Fine, I will. I cant believe you actually thought he could do this!" he said, his voice sounding disbelieving. _He didn't have much confidence in whoever he was talking to, _she mused.

"Well I could have told you it was a fuck up to begin with. But if things are fine now, then I'll back off," he said, finally coming to the goodbyes part. "Yes I will. Tell everyone I said hi, yes even mister screw up."

Molly threw up her arms. _Will the guys just hang up already! _she mentally screamed. Stuffing her hand into her pocket, she pulled out a wad of money left over from lunch earlier. Stalking towards the ticket line, she walked straight towards the teller. "Give me a ticket to any city that's North from here," she ordered through gritted teeth.

The young man behind the counter seemed unaffected by her nasty attitude. "Sure thing ma'am."

He turned in his seat to take a look at a large map that showed the city they were in and some surrounding cites. It was mainly a road map. Turning back, he hit a few keys into his computer. "You're boyfriend sounds a little riled up," he said sounding amused.

Molly felt her jaw clench. Staring at the blonde haired, blue eyed man dressed in a silly looking uniform, she felt her smoldering anger, boil. "He's. Not. My. Boyfriend," she said, emphasizing each word.

The stranger chuckled softly. "Oh, sorry about that." He didn't sound sorry at all.

Taking the ticket held out to her, she stalked off towards the bus the ticket told her to get on.

Asshole, she cursed in her mind, unable to call the man that name out loud.

XXXX

"Hey look I have a call coming through, I'll talk to you later." Darien hit a button before the other man could object and answered the call coming through. "Yea," he said distractedly.

He listened carefully to the person who called him. "My what?" he asked, while turning to look.

A young man sitting in the teller booth was talking on the phone, while a forming line waited to be given a ticket.

"I don't have a-" he stopped suddenly. His eyes tore away from the blond haired teller, to the bus that was signaling to leave. His eyes easily found a red haired woman falling into a seat near the back.

"Shit!"

Running forward, he raced towards the bus and had to leap over the low gate to reach it. As he ran he hardly caught the amused comment from his phone, which he had neglected to cut off. "Whose the screw up now…"

XXXX

Serena shivered, her knees drawing up to her chest to fight off a biting chill.

Yawning, she rolled over onto her back and stretched lazily. Opening her eyes, she first saw the night sky. A little far down, she saw the full moon. _Wow, _she thought in wonder. It was as gorgeous as that night long ago.

Remembering that night, had her looking around. Her brows furrowed together, while her lips turned upside down in worry. "Kiba," she called out. He was nowhere to be seen and he didn't come when she called.

Serena climbed to her feet, her long hair falling over her shoulders. It now reached her waist in length. Sighing, she pushed it back and turned towards the thicket of trees. "Kiba," she called again, her voice rising slightly. _Where would he have gone,_ she worried. _He wouldn't leave me behind again, would he?_

"Serena." came a reply.

Whirling around, she faced her white wolf. He stood in the tiny clearing. He must have returned to the city, because there was a carcass, one she recognized from the butcher shop, next to him.

The blonde smiled. "Hi," she said, sounding shy suddenly. Heat warmed her cheeks, despite the slight chill from the night air.

The white wolf reverted into its human form as he moved towards her. "I brought food," he explained. Her face burned even more when she realized that unlike normal, he lacked clothes. He pulled her towards him, pressing flesh against flesh.

Serena caught her breath and lifted her glazed eyes to meet his. "It smells wonderful," she murmured, her hands running up along his bare arms. They moved over his shoulders, along his neck, only to settle in his long brown hair.

Feeling impish, she leaned forward to nuzzle his neck, like he had earlier that day. Smiling wickedly, she nipped his skin with her teeth. Something he liked to do a lot to her. She felt him crush her body against his, his fingers raking along her back.

"Serena," he whispered.

She grinned and managed to wiggle free from his arms. "I bet your hungry," she crooned, moving over towards the raw meat that lay in the grass. Serena licked her lips hungrily. She hadn't eaten since the motel incident.

Crouching down next to the slab of meat, she dug her hand into a soft part and ripped free a hand full.

Before her stomach could even reel with disgust, she gobbled the chunk she held in her fist. She chewed and swallowed, letting it stew in her stomach for a minute, before licking her fingers.

Realizing she was being watched, Serena turned her head to look at Kiba. He was staring at her with golden eyes, but in his human skin. Raising a brow, she cocked her head slightly in wonder.

With a soft growl, he lunged towards her and they tumbled in the grass, till he ended up on top.

Serena giggled foolishly, her emotions running amok. Taking the hand she had used to feed herself, he cleaned the rest of the blood from her skin with his tongue.

Her giggles dissolved into a soft purrs of content. "Kiba…" she whined softly, her feeble attempts to fight him, weakening. He kissed her, his tongue dipping into her mouth to taste what she had. "I thought we were going to eat," she said when he pulled away. A small pout formed, not because they weren't eating, but because he had pulled away too soon.

Please, she whispered in her mind. _Only one more kiss, and I'm yours for eternity, _she thought, her eyes staring at his mouth hungrily. To her agitation, he smirked, as if he could read her mind. _Come on kiss me, you fool,_ she tried to order him telepathically. Which neither of them were.

Licking her lips, she tried to rise towards him, but his arms held her firmly to the ground. Serena pouted glumly. "Come on," she whined suddenly. "You don't kiss a girl like that and leave her hanging!"

Kiba chuckled, white teeth flashing as he smiled. As if heeding her call, he leaned down and captured her lips with his. In his distracted state, Serena wiggled her arms free, so that she could wrap them around his neck. Finding some control in the situation, she pulled him against her.

Finally, she thought greedily. She nipped at his bottom lip, as her skin tingled with a new sensation. It was like that one night. She felt like her blood was singing through her veins. The hairs on her body stood on end, as energy sizzled through her.

Groaning, she wrapped her legs around his, hoping to keep him close forever. _I don't ever want you to leave, _she said silently. _Don't leave me behind please, _she begged, unable to say the words aloud. _Take me to paradise with you, I'll go willingly._

Kiba pulled back slightly, his eyes holding hers. It was almost like he had heard her thoughts. _There isn't anything holding me back,_ she added as an afterthought, feeling herself melting, with his eyes holding hers.

A light shone in the golden depths that stared at her. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He leaned in again and nipped the skin over her throat.

Serena squeaked, before she burst into a fit of laughter. "Kiba that tickles!" she shouted, trying to break free from him. But he only held her tightly to him, kissing and nipping where he could.

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Ahhh, how sweet. A little romance… well actually I must confess most of this was dedicated to Serena and Kiba. My newest favorite couple. Hehe.

You guys are going to be proud, and maybe a little disappointed. I've finished writing this story, but I don't think I will be writing an epilogue. I'm pretty happy with what I have.

BUT, if maybe a lot of you demand a little Fluff of an epilogue, I just might cave in… for all my favorite reviewers…

Well I hope this chapter was to your liking. We are getting closer and closer to the end… so be prepared for things to go into a landslide of events.

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Ages:

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Reviews:

Jewelclaw Lady of Wind: well I hope this chapter is to your liking. The length as well. This chapter hopefully answered your question. The three wolves being Saturn, Mars, and Pluto. And you're correct, the lady is Pluto.

Raepan: Yea you're right. And I agree the Kraft is the best. I envy you. It would be nice to cook, but I don't enjoy it when I do cook, so I don't think it would work out… actually I wasn't drunk when I wrote the chapter. Just a little tipsy when I reread it to correct any mistakes. We had a little party, and a few of the guys wanted me to try this Yeger(spelled wrong), and some duck farts to see what I though of them… I quickly came to realize that alcohol and myself don't go well. I don't usually drink… I'm aloud to, my choice as long as my parents are there. I usually have a wine cooler or a Mike's Hard lemonade. Believe me when I say that was the first I ever got drunk, and will be my last. I don't understand how people look forward to doing it again. It makes me sleepy… not exactly fun. Now sugar is a great think. Soda, chocolate, candy I'll take that any day. Oooo How was the wedding? And the bonfire. I bet that was fun. Never been to a wedding before. Lol, I bet that was scary. Yickes I hate fires… anyway I gotta go get ready for work and all… yay…

Serenity Komoshiro: actually yea, pretty much. She knew that Kiba was around Serena, either by that weird bond she has with them or another… but since she is bonded with the wolves I thought Cheza would probably know that Serena would be pregnant…

Concrete Tenshi: this chapter would have answered your question I believe. And I hope the romance is even better than my first attempts. I've been practicing.

Flame Ivy Moon: Well it could be for a number of reasons. Her powers being created, the light of the moon, anything really…

Raye-chan: Actually I wasn't drunk when I wrote the chapter, just when I was rereading the chapter. So any mistakes I over looked were because of that… Oh I know, my version was in subtitles and they kept changing the names, it really confused me… Work huh, yea been there a lot lately myself.. Only my work comes in the world of WalMart… or Wolly World as I like to call it…

Well I gotta go, sorry this came out so late… If I find time I'll update earlier than Monday… but only if I find time. See ya!

LP


	17. Chapter seventeen

Welcome back to another chapter of Nobility. Sorry about the long wait. I haven't been able to find a lot of time lately for anything like reading or writing. I'm hardly home, but I am still capable of squeezing out a chapter on Mondays!.

I hope you guys like this chapter… lots of hostility… let me tell you. Whew… well I'm off, got me a hot engagement to upkeep…

Thanks for all the reviews you guys, they were wonderful to read! **cosmos unicorn, Devi Of The Wolves, keika, SilverPunk with an attitude, Flame Ivy Moon, BlueFrost, Hell-Kitten, PadFootCc, kitty-demon92, Serenity Komoshiro, Raepan, dark-solder-Saturn, Lady Tristana Rogue, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Sere, Concrete Tenshi, Ice-chan, platinum star, jamesstutz, Rayne StarDust, blackrosebunny.**

Read and Enjoy…

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Chapter seventeen:

News and a Fainting Spell

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Will you come to paradise with me?

The question woke her up, as it infiltrated her dreams. Opening her eyes, Serena smiled lazily up at the face mere inches from her own. "What?" she managed through a yawn, unable to grasp the question he had asked.

"Will you come to paradise with me," he asked again.

Serena stared up at him questioningly. Was he really wanting her to come? The memory of last night worked its way into her thoughts. _Paradise_, she wondered. Last night she had claimed that nothing was holding her back. The news of the lies her life had been made out of, put proof behind her thoughts.

How could she live in a world, where everyone had deceived her. Even her own mother had kept the truth from her!

Her silent confession last night echoed in her mind, as she stared up into a pair of beautiful blue eyes. _Am I really willing to give up what I have here? To follow him wherever he wants to go? _It was a scary thought. But not nearly as frightening as the thought of never seeing him again.

Snaking her arms around his neck, she leaned up towards him to nuzzle his neck. "Yes," she whispered against his skin. She had spent nearly six weeks away from her home, away from her friends and families. Nothing was holding her here.

When she pulled back, she let out a yelp, when he crushed himself against her, his lips claiming hers almost aggressively. She closed her eyes, her body arching up beneath his.

He pulled back panting, his eyes nearly glowing as they wandered over her. "Kiba," she started, feeling an emotion burning a hole through her throat. A sting of tears had her eyes glazing over since she refused to let them fall. "I lov-"

"Serena," came another voice that managed to tear them apart. Blinking, Serena stared at the tall woman who stood in the tiny clearing. Her short blonde hair was grazed by a breeze, the bangs falling into amused eyes. While the rest of her gave off the impression of impatience and anger, her eyes told another story.

Kiba was already moving. With his wounds healed from the full moon the night before, he felt ready to fight. He crouched in front of Serena, his eyes turning gold.

Sitting up, Serena flushed with embarrassment. _Where are my clothes,_ she thought, as more heat flooded her cheeks.

Haruka found what the other girl was looking for, and tossed the smaller blonde her clothes. "I'm not here for you wolf," she said darkly. She regarded the white beast with a snarl.

Serena dressed quickly, and managed to stand in front of Kiba before he decided to use Haruka as a new chew toy. "No Kiba, its okay," she said while kneeling down in front of him. She rubbing his neck, her fingers sliding through his white fur.

Leaning forward, she kissed his nose. "You like this don't you," she said, when she found a certain spot that had him closing his eyes in pure bliss. "I'll have to remember that," she said mostly to herself.

With one final scratch, she stood to look at Haruka.

The older woman was standing with her arms folded over her chest, an impatient look crossing her features. "I need to have my brother take a look at you Serena. He's a doctor," she explained briskly.

Serena frowned at this. "Why," she asked carefully. Why would she need to see a doctor? _I feel perfectly fine,_ she thought. Haruka lifted a brow. "Serena it would be wise you spoke with my brother. There are things he needs to talk to you about," she said evasively.

"All right," the small blonde relented.

The older woman jerked her head in the direction she had come from. "He's right out there waiting. It shouldn't take long."

She moved forward, passing the older blonde. Not saying a word, she pushed a limb out of her way, but hesitated. Looking back, she locked eyes with Kiba.

Had she really started to say what she thought she was. Before Haruka had interrupted her? _No_, she chided. She couldn't possibly, _right?_ Tilting her head, she studied the gorgeous creature. His golden eyes held hers while he made a move to follow her.

"No Kiba," Haruka said, as she took a step, and blocked Serena from him.

Hurt, Serena turned away and started out of the grove of trees. _Why is she acting like this,_ she thought bitingly. She must have clearly missed something, something vital.

XXXX

Haruka regarded the beast before her. With a patronizing snort, she turned her back on him. Her arms moved to cross themselves over her middle.

Looking at him from over her shoulder, she sent him a withering stare. "I'm sure your as unhappy to be in my company as I am in yours," she said as a greeting. "But for the moment, we will both have to deal with it."

She turned her head away and stared off in the direction Serena had disappeared to. _How much time is left,_ she wondered with a slight frown. _Cant be too much longer._

Pivoting on her feet suddenly, she directed her eyes soling on the white wolf. _Disgusting beast, _she thought sourly. _How dare he put his filthy paws on Tsuki's daughter. _With a great deal of wills and time, Haruka managed to rein her temper back under control.

With eyes burning, she snapped, "You know as well as I do that she cannot go with you." At his blank stare, she dropped her arms and placed her hands on her hips. "She wouldn't survive the trip, and you know that," she chastised.

Narrowing her eyes, she moved towards him, her strides almost mocking him. _Mangy mutt,_ she insulted silently. Her eyes took in his tensed form. _Degrading mongrel. _Haruka drew in a sharp breath, as if the very sight of him made her sick.

Time for the low blow, she thought with a smirk. She paused several feet from him, her stance displaying her authority.

"You know what an abomination it would be. A Noble and a wolf," she said cheekily. She watched his golden eyes widen at this factor of news. The wolf changed into that of his human form, and the boy slowly stood. "What do you mean," he asked, his voice sounding weary.

Haruka curled her lips, her eyes shinning with mirth. _Yes this will truly drive him away for good_, she gloated. "Exactly what I said, wolf," she sneered. "But then you probably never knew. Serena is a Noble," she said, her tone sounding as if it was the most obvious thing.

At seeing his startled expression, she felt a slight pressure in her chest. "So you can see what a waste this truffle is," she explained. "Why don't you follow your nose, as the saying goes, and track down your precious Cheza." Turning back from him, she started back towards the trees. "Leave Serena alone and go find your paradise, wol-"

She was cut off by a scream.

Jerking her head to attention, she studied the trees for a second.

"Serena…"

The boy behind her reverted into his wolf form, and leaped into action. Whirling around, Haruka reached to her side, and pulled out her trusty blade. Holding it firmly with one hand, she caught the wolf by surprise.

"Not so fast," she said.

Pointing the end of her blade at the wolf's throat, she repeated, "Leave Serena alone. Go look for your Flower Maiden and find your paradise," Haruka ordered. "Leave Serena be, she has a duty she must fulfill and you will not interfere."

When he didn't leave, but only lower his head and growl menacingly, Haruka arched her blade. She swung it at his head, nearly hitting him.

The wolf leaped back, his feet skidding across the grass when he landed. He snarled, his lips curling back from his teeth.

Haruka scoffed, her disgust clear. "As much as I would love to cut your head right off," she sneered. "But I have dire engagements to attend to."

Then above them, a ship floated across the clearing. A metal contraption lowered, to reveal her oldest brother. Jumping aboard, she pulled herself up next to him. Below, the wolf leaped and managed to catch part of himself on the landing.

Snarling, Haruka kicked him, sending the white wolf back to the ground below. She looked down, her eyes watching him closely, as the landing lifted and entered the ship.

"That was telling him gently," her older brother inquired, when the landing came to a full stop. Pulling her self out of the lift, she grunted. "Oh shut it Kunzite," she snapped. "At least I didn't cut his head off." she stalked ahead of him, hoping to put distance between herself and her infuriating brother.

The older man chuckled. "Well yes at least that didn't happen," he commented wryly.

With a frustrated shout, Haruka left the hanger in search of some peace and quiet. Following close behind her, was the laughing form of her older brother, Kunzite.

XXXX

"Why the hell am I here!" Serena screamed, her eyes blazing with hatred. She threw her hand out and knocked over the contents on the table.

Visibly fuming, she regarded the older man. _The bastard_, she thought with malice. _He had no right!_

She stalked towards him, her intent to do him bodily harm, when the door to the room she was locked in, opened. Pausing in her steps forward, she jerked her head around to see who had decided to join them. Her eyes flared at the sight of the familiar blonde haired Noble.

Gritting her teeth, her hands formed fists at her sides.

Zoicite, or who the man from before had claimed himself to be, sighed in relief. "It's about time you showed up Jade," the doctor commented.

The blonde chuckled, his brows lifting in amusement. "Too hot to handle," he inquired, with a jerk of his head in her direction.

Feeling her anger rise a notch, she grabbed the closest thing next to her. Her intent was clearly to throw it to the easiest person. "Now Serena," the doctor began. "You should really calm yourself."

Outraged, Serena threw the heavy book at his head. "Calm down!" she shouted. "You kidnap me and you expect me to calm down!" She was beyond rational. Her emotions where playing havoc on her mind.

The door to the room slid open again. "Actually yes Serena," came a third voice.

Lifting her eyes to the newcomer, she easily recognized the man who had helped her escape Jagara's ship. "You," she muttered dangerously. He nodded in greeting, the corner of his mouth lifting.

"You helped me escape, only to capture me again? What the hell is wrong with you people," she asked, looking at the three who were in the room with her.

Kunzite shook his head sadly. "My intent was never to recapture you, Serena," he said in away to explain himself. "You just made it too difficult to keep a close eye on you from a distance."

"Keep an eye on me," she echoed incredulously. "Who said I wanted you to keep an eye on me!" Feeling her temper rising again, she swung around to search for something else to throw.

"Serena please, you must relax," Zoicite began, sounding concerned.

Turning her dark eyes on him, she asked through gritted teeth, "Give me one good reason, Why. I. Should. Relax." she asked, emphasizing each word.

It was Kunzite who answered her. "Because its not good for the baby."

Serena stiffened, the object in her hand falling from her lax fingers. She slowly, and methodically turned to look at him. "My what," she asked sounding rather deflated.

"Your baby," the older man repeated calmly.

The blonde nodded numbly, her tongue sliding out to wet her dry lips. All three men leaped into action, when her eyes rolled upward and she crumbled to the ground.

Zoicite, being the closest to her, managed to break her fall by catching her. "Well that went rather well," he said irritably. Kunzite shrugged, his face creased with a frown as he studied the fainted blonde.

Jadeite smirked, his eyes filled with mirth. "Hey at least she calmed down," he said with amusement dripping from his voice.

Zoicite only rolled his eyes in reply, as he hefted the blonde, he laid her down on the table. Turning to his oldest brother, he asked, "Now what?"

The taller man sighed, his wide shoulders slumping in slight defeat. "Now we wait," he answered simply. He turned, and left the room. Jadeite followed him silently, leaving the doctor alone with his patient. Zoicite sighed as he watched them leave.

__

Wonderful, he thought impatiently. Crossing his arms over his chest, he hoped this wouldn't take too long. "This might turn out to be a long day after all," he muttered, before leaving the room as well.

He might as well get a bite to eat while he waited.

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Now what did I say, lots of hostility, and oh yea the truth is out… poor Serena. When is life going to dish something else besides more surprises..

Poor Poor Serena.

More excitement to come, I promise!

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Reviews:

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Flame Ivy Moon: Hmm now there is a question… Well, its obvious he's on the phone talking to someone who is giving out orders. (I'm going to be vague as possible so I don't give too much away). If you really look at the things he says, and the subtle hints I throw at you in this chapter. After getting over the fact that his job has changed, he goes off about someone screwing up… Now when he hangs up with whoever is giving him orders, its quite obvious as to who calls him… Mister Screw up… now if you really look at this part of the chapter, you'd see that the person he's on the phone with knows what's going on… the whole thing with Darien, Molly, and the two phone calls leads up to a later chapter, which will clear up as to what Darien's new job is… I hope that helps, I don't want to give the plot away…

BlueFrost: I know, I was a little vague about the other wolves. Kiba had the guys go after Cheza and Blue when he realized that the Flower Maiden and Serena weren't going in the same direction anymore. The guys came in briefly in a later chapter. Who do you mean not mentioned?

Raepan: Awww I missed out on the Fair this year… went on a House Boat trip instead. Yea tell me how that went…

dark-solder-Saturn: For this story I wanted to try something that is hardly ever used. Putting Serena and Co, into another show without adding the background and stuff. I wanted to try putting an average person into turmoil…

Concrete Tenshi: lol Darien who?… thanks, I tried real hard at this story, and worked on it till I finished. I'm quite pleased with the ending. But still not sure on whether to add another chapter that produces a reunion with everyone… The baby? Nope not the way I end the story… not a problem at all.

Rayne StarDust: Nope this isn't the end yet. This story has like over twenty chapter. I've got plenty more to add, don't you worry…

Blackrosebunny: I'm not done yet, not by a long shot. As for the others, they will show up too.

Well I'm off, you guys have a wonderful weekend!


	18. Chapter eighteen

Hey, sorry for the wait everyone. I had to work a double shift so I was unable to update until I got off after work this evening. Since its so late, I'm going to skip reviews and an AN. But I'll update the next chapter on Wednesday to make up for my incompetence….(or laziness).

Night guys, enjoy your week

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Chapter eighteen:

Who is There Left to Trust

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Why does my head have to hurt so much, she wondered pitifully. Groaning, she lifted her hand to massage her left temple.

She lifted her eyelids, her eyes blinking back the haze that covered her vision at first_. Where am I_, she thought as soon as she saw her surroundings.

Sitting up, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed. It was a simple room, consisting of soft colors. Serena felt her eyes widened. "My room," she exclaimed aloud. _How in the world, _she finished silently.

Serena searched the familiar room. It was a duplicate of the one in her apartment, only it lacked one important detail. "Where the hell is the door," she raged. Standing, she turned in sharp circles, her eyes searching each wall carefully.

"Where the hell am I," she shouted. She was in a room that looked like hers. Four white walls and a cream colored carpet that was soft beneath her feet. The queen size bed her mother bought her when she turned eighteen, stood against the wall. Her grandmother's vanity chest sat on another bare wall. A matching nightstand near the bed. An antique lamp. It was all the same.

Then just before she could hyperventilate, a part of the wall opened. It appeared to be a door, but their was no handle.

Serena studied the man who entered. To her displeasure he shut the door behind him.

Zoicite smiled in greeting, something Serena did not bother to return. "I see you're awake," he said softly, before moving towards her. "You should lie back down Serena."

She didn't move, instead she watched him carefully. "How long have I been out," she asked crisply.

The older man sighed, his light green eyes considering her thoughtfully. "Three days," he replied. "I gave you a mild sedative to help you."

"A sedative," she asked incredulously. "Who, where-" she stammered, her mind reeling with wild thoughts. Stepping forward, Zoicite took her by the shoulders and eased her back onto the bed. "Like I said Serena you should lie down," he explained softly.

Serena stared up at him, her eyes burning with resentment. Again he only sighed. "You're in an observation lab, Serena. This way Kunzite and myself can keep a close watch on you."

The blonde felt her temper flare. "You have no right," she screamed, her face turning red to match her mood.

The older man shook his head sadly. "But I do Serena," he said softly in reply to her outburst. "I have every right." This caused the small blonde to narrow her eyes, her lips forming a line of contempt. "By whose orders," she asked stiffly.

He lifted a fine brow at her words. "Your father's of course," he said simply.

"My father is dead," she spat back in return.

Zoicite frowned, his seemingly endless patience finally slipping. "You don't seem to understand, Serena," he said briskly. "My brother Kunzite made a promise to your father, to watch over you. We are merely holding up that promise."

The blonde sighed, throwing herself back against the pillows. "All I want is my life back!" she shouted, sounding more hurt than angry. "Why cant you guys understand?"

The door to the room opened and another man stepped into the room. He was as good looking as she remembered him from Jagara's ship. "That is impossible at this moment, Serena," Kunzite explained. He joined Zoicite near the bed.

His light blue eyes held a look of sympathy in them, when he gazed down at her. "Since you are in danger, we cannot allow you to wander, without being closely watched," he added carefully.

"Jagara cannot harm you until you give birth. But once that happens, she will surely end your life," Zoicite finished for his brother.

Serena looked from one to the other. "Why," she asked. "Why does she want to kill me?"

At this, Zoicite hung his head and stepped away. He quietly left the room, leaving the blonde alone with the elder sibling.

Kunzite seated himself on the edge of her bed, but did not look at her. Instead he directed his attention to his clasped hands that rested against his thigh. "Well Serena, this may come to a shock to you, but because you hold the key to Cheza."

He had said she would be shocked, not confused. "What," she asked, clearly confounded by his answer.

Lifting his head, he turned to look at her finally. His gaze was cool, not giving away anything he was truly feeling. It was a nerve-racking sight.

"You know of the bond you share with Cheza, I presume," he inquired gently, his voice soft. She nodded in reply, not saying anything.

"Then you must understand how deep that bond runs. I'll put this into hypothetical terms, so that you can understand better," he said, when he saw her eyebrows lifting. "Cheza is like a gateway, a gate leading towards paradise," he began, his eyes still studying her face carefully.

Serena nodded, that much she could understand.

"You on the other hand, are the key. You can open the gate, or you can lock it. Jagara fears this power of yours," he responded calmly. "Since she cannot kill you, she fears you even more. Your duty is to decide whether to keep the gate locked, or unlock them."

She understood a little now. A lot of it was still unclear. "Now if you were to produce an heir, Jagara would be able to warp the mind of a child, not a full grown woman. That is why she wants you so badly. If you could give her the next descendent of your lineage, not only could she get rid of you, but she would hold the power to unlocking paradise."

After their little talk, Kunzite left her to think about his words. There was so much information that she had a hard time comprehending all of it. Not only was she part Noble blood, but she was some key to opening a gate.

And adding icing to the cake, she was pregnant.

Lifting her shirt, she stared at her belly. It was alarming. There was no physical evidence that she was pregnant, but she knew Kunzite wasn't lying to her.

Serena splayed her hands across her stomach, letting her mind sink in this new piece of information. _My baby,_ she thought in wonder. She had never really thought about having kids. They had never seemed to factor into her life.

Until now, she mused. Rolling over onto her side, she contemplated on how she was going to escape. She was not going to live the rest of her life in this room.

Jagara cant touch me until I have my baby, she declared. _All I have to do, is do what she asks, before I do. _If Cheza unlocked paradise, then wouldn't a lot of people be happy? _Kiba and the others will get to go to paradise, and Jagara could go as well._

"If she gets what she wants, than there's no reason for her to kill me, right," she murmured aloud as she began to drift off.

Right?

XXXX

"Cheza!" the name came out like a cry, as the blonde shot up in bed.

Blinking wearily, blue eyes adjusted to the darkened room. _What's wrong, _she wondered, her brows creasing. _What woke me up?_ Her lips thinned into a straight line. Her mind accumulating all the information she had been hit with earlier.

She was on a ship. That much she knew, with the steady rumble beneath her from the motors, to constantly remind her. She was in a room that was the spitting image of the one she had back home.

Dropping her head, she tried to conjure up the bizarre dream she had been having. _It must have to do with what woke me up, _she insisted. There was no other reason for why she was up.

Serena winced, her eyes narrowing, as her head throbbed sporadically. "Argh," she grimaced, her jaw clenching as the pain lashed out, nearly blinding her with a sudden pain.

****

"Blue!!!"

Inhaling sharply, Serena's eyes flew open in wonder.

She remembered now. She knew what she had seen in her dream.

"She's in danger," she hissed, her head still throbbing. Throwing off the blankets, she got to her feet. Through the pain, she managed to find strength. The knowledge of Cheza's predicament steering her through the haze.

Wildly she looked for an exit. There was no door, nothing for her to use as an escape.

****

"Cheza!!!! Let her go!!!"

Tears burned her eyes, as the pain only increased. Blue and Cheza were being captured by uniformed men. She could see clearly through the eyes of Cheza, the bond everyone had mentioned stronger than ever before.

Serena felt her fists clenched, her eyes squeezing shut. Her teeth clamping down hard, as the pain flared.

Opening her mouth, she screamed, the shrill tearing through her and the dark room. The air around her sizzled with life and lights flickered on, only to turn off just as quickly. Serena opened her mouth again, the pain fueling her rage of being locked away. She screamed again, her voice raising even louder than the last time.

This time, the air moved visibly and the walls around her bowed out.

****

"Lock her up, and throw this one out. All Jagara wants is the Flower Maiden."

Her eyes flew open, the color flickering to silver. She let out another scream, this one tearing through the walls. All four walls shattered like glass. To her right was the sky, to her left was a group of Nobles. She recognized them, even in her state.

"Jadeite, quick get the tranquilizers!" Zoicite shouted. But the blonde haired man was already reaching for the box.

Turning her eyes on them, she hardly blinked. "Stop," she said softly, her voice deadly calm.

The group froze, staring at her.

Kunzite studied her carefully, his eyes narrowing just a bit. His lips formed a frown, when no one moved. "Don't just stand there," he shouted. "We cant let her get away."

Serena turned from the group, her eyes blinking to reveal their natural blue shade. Running forward, she reached the open hole in the ship and leaped. Her arms flew out to her sides, as she sailed down to the Earth below.

"Serena!" shouted the people above her, as they all stopped at the hole in the ship to look. "Serena," came more shouts.

She fell, her hair flying up behind her, but she hardly noticed. Instead all she could see was what Cheza was seeing.

"I'll protect you," she whispered. "Don't worry Cheza, I'm coming."

Just when it seemed that it was inevitable that she was going to hit the ground, a dark shape formed beneath her falling form. A door opened to reveal a darkened figure, who opened his arms towards her.

Serena blinked again, her eyes focusing on her surroundings. She gasped when she realized that she had jumped from an air ship and was more than likely falling to her death.

As she fell, her body twisted around, so that she stared up at the sky. Closing her eyes, she expected the inevitable, but was shocked, when she hit entirely too soon.

Startled, Serena lifted her head to find herself staring up into a handsome face. One blue eye regarded her carefully, the other discreetly covered by a patch.

"Darcia," she whispered, sounding breathless.

The Noble smirked, his eye filled with mirth. "We meet again," he mused.

Pulling herself free, the blonde stared at the ship, she had managed to land in. How she wasn't sure. Turning back to the darkly dress man, she ordered, "Take me to Jagara's castle."

This had the Noble lifting a brow. "Are you sure," he asked.

Serena nodded fiercely. "She has Cheza," she said simply, as if it alone was a good enough answer. Darcia nodded and started for the front of the ship. "So be it," he replied before sitting down.

When he directed the ship in the right direction, only then did Serena fall from exhaustion. Her heart was beating irregularly in her chest, while her lungs labored to catch her breath. She had jumped ship without even thinking about what might have happened to her. When had someone else's life become so much more important than her own?

"You wouldn't have died," he explained, as if he could hear her thoughts. "Your link to Cheza is strong, but it wouldn't have killed you.

"You might think you didn't know what you were doing, but you did.

"A part of you knew I would be arriving to find you," he added softly.

Serena leaned back against the wall of ship. _So these are my powers. A link to the Flower Maiden, breaking walls and knowing things._

"Did you know my father," she asked suddenly.

Darcia shook his head at her question. "No, I did not," he replied truthfully. "I only knew that he was strong and linked to the Flower Maiden."

She nodded, her head leaning against her shoulder. She felt so tired. "Go ahead and sleep," he instructed. It will be a few more days before we arrive at the city."

The blonde nodded. She found this man's company more secure than with any other Noble she had met. At least with Darcia, the man told her of his intentions. He was already the bad guy in her life and he was not hiding behind lies and masks like everyone else.

She could trust him, to not lie to her. He would deliver her to Jagara, just like she ordered him to.

Closing her eyes, the blonde let this thought lull her to sleep. _Soon it will be all over,_ she confirmed to herself.

XXXX

Serena opened her eyes feeling stiff and sore. Reaching up, she massaged the back of her neck, hoping to rid herself of the kinks. Falling asleep on the floor in a seated position hadn't been the most smartest thing she ever did.

With a groan, the blonde lifted herself from her perch, wincing as she did so. Yawning, she stretched her arms above her head.

"Sleep well," inquired a smooth voice from a short distance from herself. Opening her heavy lidded eyes a fraction more, she recognized Darcia. He was seated in the same seat as before.

She shrugged her shoulders, hardly bothering to lift them at all. "I've slept better," she murmured.

Moving forward, she came to a stop at the man's right and peered out the wide window. Leaning against his seat, she asked, "How much longer?"

He repeated her earlier move, his shoulders hardly moving. "At least two more days worth," he said carefully. "There is no reason to hurry. Cheza wont be there until the night before we arrive."

Serena nodded, just before she pulled back. "All right," she said softly, turning from the Noble.

"Do you have a plan," he asked, his head turning so that his eye could follow her. She turned back towards him, her head tilting ever so slightly. "And why should I tell you," she asked in return.

Her reply brought a small smile to his face, just the corner of his lips lifting. "Clever girl," he commented. "I'm not with Jagara though, we are very much rivals."

Serena nodded, her eyes holding his. "It appears everyone is against Jagara," she said softly. "But it seems that we're all going in the same direction."

"To paradise," he said, his tone chilling.

She shook her head, her eyes drawing from his to look out the window. "No. North," she answered aloud. Her mind drifted to Kiba. He was searching for Cheza and had been heading North. Because that was where they had been taking her.

Darcia's lips curled slightly, his eye moving down her form, before he looked back at her face. "You've changed quite a bit since we last met," he mused.

Looking at him, Serena felt her cheeks warm. She dropped her gaze to take in her flat stomach. _He can tell? _she wondered. _I'm the one who is supposedly pregnant and he can tell whether I'm carrying or not, while I couldn't?_

She lifted a hand to place it over her belly and smiled sadly. "I- is there anything to drink around here," she asked, wanting to change the subject quickly.

The Noble nodded, the corner of his lips lifting again. "Why yes," he replied. He stood up casually, moving from his chair and made his way to the back of the ship.

Serena eyed the controls. "Are you sure its safe just to let this thing go?" she asked, her lips creased into a frown to hide her growing panic. "I mean the last time I was in a ship like this, Blue crashed."

Darcia chuckled while he poured her something to drink. "Its fine," he said softly, before turning towards her with two glasses in his hands. The blonde smiled gratefully, taking the glass from him when he offered it to her. "Thanks," she said with gratitude, as she lifted the glass to her lips. She hesitated, her eyes studying the man standing in front of her.

Slowly Serena lowered the glass, her brows knitted together in suspicion. Was it likely that a Noble would slip her a drug? Or maybe poison her drink? The Noble sipped from his own glass, all the while watching her. "You don't trust me," he asked when he lowered his own drink. "I promise all it will do is help you relax." As if to prove his words, he wrapped his fingers around her hand and lifted her glass to his lips.

She watched him drink from her cup. _Well he hasn't keeled over yet_, she thought dramatically.

He released her hand and they waited a second. He even sipped from his own drink while they waited. When she still didn't drink from it, he only shrugged and took his seat at the control.

While he directed the ship North, heading towards Jagara's castle, Serena stared at the red liquid. It smelled good. Dipping one finger in, she proceeded to taste it. _Not bad_, she commented silently. _Well he could have killed me easily if he wanted to, when I was sleeping._

With a small lift of her shoulders, she tipped the glass to her lips and drank from the glass greedily. There was only a slight after taste, but it was good. Serena licked her lips, wishing that there was more.

Sighing, she sat down on the floor, her arms folding over her bent knees. It was hardly ten minutes later, when she felt a little dizzy.

Giggling to herself, Serena watched as things tilted. "Wow," she murmured. Clambering to her feet once more, she proceeded to teeter her way to the front of the ship. "What the hell did you give me," she accused.

She leaned a little to the right, precariously balancing on one foot. Her arms cart wheeled to keep herself upright.

Darcia lifted a brow, when he looked at her. "Champagne," he replied with a smile. "I see you don't drink often."

Serena sent him a withering look that was destroyed when her eyes crossed so that she could stare at her nose. "You did this on purpose," she pouted and dropped to the floor in a huff. "Everyone is trying to run my life," she complained.

Giving the Noble another look, she added, "My own mom, and these people I don't even know! And now you!" she crossed her arms over her chest and proceeded to glare at the floor. "I cant even rely on the bad guy in my own story. What is the world coming to?"

Serena threw her arms up into the air to emphasize her point. "And no I don't drink often. Actually I don't drink. The one time I did, I suddenly knew French and proceeded to explain to bunch of stranger how to make an omelet.

"Or so Molly says. I have no reco- recolition err recollection of that night," she explained. "Molly says I'm a funny drunk. The only problem is it only takes one drink." She tipped her empty glass to her lip and frowned when nothing came out.

"Of all the blasted luck," she complained.

Darcia laughed, his lips curling in amusement. "This only makes things easier Serena," he replied, even though the small blonde was hardly listening. She was trying to catch the last drop of her drink from the bottom of her glass.

"Now I can have my revenge on Jagara and with your help, I will destroy the way to paradise.

"No one will ever see paradise," he said with conviction.


	19. Chapter nineteen

Hey peeps, welcome to another chapter of Nobility. I'm going to start dishing the chapter out as soon as I get them reread. So expect the next chapter real soon.

I want to say thanks to those who reviewed.

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Chapter nineteen:

Righteousness and Indignation

Darcia lifted the softly snoring blonde from where she sat sleeping on the floor of his ship. _Quite remarkable,_ he thought to himself, as he shifted the girl's weight in his arms. The girl had managed to stay awake for several hours, talking about one topic or another. When she did fall asleep, she hardly moved an inch.

The two day trip had passed and already the last quarter of the moon's cycle had passed. They had arrived at Jagara's castle on schedule.

With the girl in his arms, he descended from his ship and slowly made his way towards the castle. Crossing the bridge, he kept his head high. When he reached the entrance, he wasn't surprised when they opened for him.

A young man greeted him there.

"Be careful Jadeite," he warned the younger man. "I'm sure Jagara would be most displeased to know that you had the girl in your care and didn't bring her here like you were supposed to," he warned. The young man was staring at the bundle in his arms with a look of surprise in his eyes.

Once his warning sunk in though, the blonde haired man nodded once and turned to lead him inside. Darcia followed, all the while his arms tightening around the girl in his arms.

Jadeite led him into the castle, directing him to a room, where he would place the girl. Darcia stepped around the younger man, and made his way towards the large bed. Laying her down, he paused to studying her closely.

She seemed content, just as Harmona had always appeared to be.

With a sigh, Darcia drew back the blankets and covered the girl up. _This kindness is for protecting my Harmona_, he thought. Indeed the girl had protected his beloved, with her life. "I will return for you," he said quietly, so that no one could overhear him. "I will come back when it is time, and you will help me revenge my love's death."

He pulled away quickly and left the room. Jadeite shut the door firmly, locking it before they started back the way they had come. "You wont be able to use her," the younger man said firmly.

Darcia gave the man a harsh look. He did not like having children trying to tell him what he should or should not do.

The corner of the younger man's lips lifted. "She's tired of having people use her, she wont let you," the blond said smugly. "Better luck next time though!"

Darcia scoffed and left the castle, not bothering to look back. He knew the man was laughing at him. "Laugh all you want," he hissed beneath his breath as he entered his ship.

Manipulating the controls, he set the ship on a course heading South. "I will destroy Cheza and no one will ever see Paradise, just as Harmona will never see paradise," he vowed, his voice a deathly calm.

----

Serena woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. The wash of golden sun baking her face was the first thing she saw. With a muffled groan, she rolled over and closed her eyes. "I hope you die a slow and agonizing death," she muttered, before stuffing her face into a pillow.

Pillow?

Half alert, Serena jerked her head up in a half attempt to appear awake. She stared blurredly at the bed she laid in. _What the hell? _The last time she had woken up in a bed, she had left like a lab specimen. _Trapped like a rat._

With a grimace, Serena shakily lifted her pathetic form from the bed. "Oh god, what the hell hit me," she asked aloud. Had she managed to stand out on the road and allowed some semi run her over? Or maybe she just slammed her head in the oven repeatedly the night before?

Shaking her head, the sallow looking blonde threw her feet over the side of the bed, not even bothering to sit up. She tried rolling over onto her feet, but her legs gave out under the sudden weight. With a muted thump she hit the floor.

"Oh god," she hissed, her hand flying up the grab her throbbing head. The pain had increased after her sudden departure from the warm cocoon of the bed.

"You're up early," commented an amused voice from the doorway.

Meekly Serena looked over in that direction. She saw the last person she wanted to run into when she felt like her stomach was going to come crawling up her throat. It was the man who had given her, Blue and Cheza a ride. _Jason, _her mind supplied slowly.

She shook her head, arguing with herself. _No, _she corrected, _this man is Haruka's twin brother, Jadeite. _"God, how many are there of you," she asked with a hint of a whine in her voice. She was running into them left and right.

The man quirked a brow in her direction, before entering the room. He shut the door before making his way towards her. "Is that question directed towards me and my family, or Nobles entirely," he asked, while he helped her up onto the bed.

Serena waved her hand airily, as if to say she could carry herself without his aid. "Both," she answered, once she was sitting.

Jadeite nodded carefully, before he took a tentative step away from her. His dark blue eyes regarded her carefully. "There are six of us," he answered. "Haruka and myself being the only twins, all of us have different mothers."

The smaller blonde stared up at him with a small frown. "Six," she asked, trying to count the number of Nobles she had run into. The ones that counted were Jadeite, Haruka, Kunzite, and Zoicite. She had yet to meet two of them. _ Oh joy, I'll bet they will show up soon_, she thought with a sickening sweet voice.

It was only a matter of time…

With a sigh, Serena directed her full attention span, which was almost nil in her inebriated state, toward the young blond haired man in front of her. "So why are you here," she asked suspiciously.

Jadeite gave a small shrug, before he turned to move towards the window. He drew the curtains together, much to the small girl's relief. "Kunzite gave me direct orders, after I told him where you were that I was to watch you like a hawk."

She shot him a look, which caused him to smirk.

"His exact words," he replied to her unasked question. "Why don't I find you some suitable clothes to wear."

He turned on his heels abruptly and started for the door. Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, he turned back to look at her.

Serena held his gaze. "My siblings and I never meant to hurt you," he explained softly. He finally tore his eyes away and looked at the door in front of him. "We only wanted to keep you from a destiny that will inevitably end in tragedy." with that said, he left the room, and leaving her as well.

It wasn't until he had shut the door, did she wonder that maybe he was right.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she finally let herself stop and think about the last six weeks of her life. It had all started by meeting Kiba and somehow she ended up here.

A destiny meant to end in tragedy? Sure she had always known deep down that she might be in danger. But it never truly crossed her mind.

It was possible she might not leave this castle. That she might not go home to her apartment. See Molly or Nathan again. Or find the chance to forgive her mother.

The swarm of thoughts of things she might not ever get to do again, brought scalding tears to her eyes. She might not ever get to see the boys again. Tsume, as he ordered her and Toboe to pick up their feet. Or Hige complaining about how hungry he was. Or Toboe as he tried to comfort her even though he was tired and cold himself.

Or Kiba.

Another bout of tears came, this one bringing sobs. She'd only known him for seven weeks, and only been in his company for less than that. But he made her feel things she had never felt before. He had made her life worth living again.

Reaching up, she wiped at her tears, wishing that they could just stop, but knowing they wouldn't. She wanted to tell him, what she hadn't been able to tell him. Because even though she hardly knew him, she knew what she felt for him was real. Why else would the thought of never seeing him sniff at the air whenever she was around, or nuzzle her neck even as a human, made her cry harder than not seeing her best friend since grade school? Why would he mean so much to her, if she didn't love him?

Jadeite entered the room by then. If he was startled by her tears, he didn't show it. Instead, he softly shut the door behind him, before moving towards the bed.

With a small sigh, he set the clothes he had brought on the bed next to her. He didn't feel like he had the right, to ask her what was wrong. Or even to give her comfort.

So he stood there, staring at the wall, as she shed her tears. He waited until she managed to rein in her emotions, and when her sobs ceased.

When she lifted her head and he found himself staring into watery blue eyes rimmed with red, and her nose slightly red, he gave her a soft smile. "Better," he asked.

To his surprise, she shook her head, before dropping her gaze to the floor. He watched her swallow hard, her body trembling by the simple act. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered.

Jadeite bent low to hear her as she continued. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you, or Kunzite. I'm sorry for everything I did that made things hard for you and your family," she said softly, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Was that why she was crying, he wondered.

She looked up at him and he could make out every emotion she was feeling, by just staring into her eyes.

A sad smile formed on her face, before she looked down at her lap. She raised her hands, staring at her palms.

The young man sighed slowly. "Why don't you get dressed Serena," he said carefully, keeping his tone light. "Then I can take you to Cheza."

He turned on his heels and started for the door. Again, before he left the room, he turned back to look at her. Unable to say the words aloud, he chose to give her a meaningful look instead. _I'm sorry too, _he replied quietly. _I'm sorry that not everyone will make it out of this unscathed. You more so than anyone else._

With that thought ringing in his mind, he left the girl to change. _How did seven people managed to screw this all up?_ he wondered as he walked down the hallway. _Where they hell did we go wrong?_

xxxx

"Why are you leading me around on a wild goose chase?" Molly asked, while stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. The man in front of her, slowly turned, as if cautious to move too fast. "A wild goose chase," he asked carefully. "What makes you think that?"

As she spoke, Molly counted off with her fingers. "One, you wont listen to my opinion, at all! Two, those guys Serena was with, were heading North, we're heading South. And yes I do have a sense of direction, thank you. And Third, that last woman we talked to said she saw one of those guys and you said she didn't. Why the hell would you question her?" she defiantly crossed her arms over her chest, as if she had just won the argument by a land slide.

Lifting a brow, she waited for him to prove her wrong.

An uncomfortable silence surrounded the pair, as they eyed each other.

At last, her partner spoke first. "Look Molly," he started to explain. The short red haired woman lifted a hand. "Whoa there buddy," she said, cutting him off. "When did we get on a first names basis? You either call me Gem, or Miss Gem." she gave him a heated look, that dared him to cross her.

She was already in a bad mood to begin with.

"Look Gem," he started again, sounding irritated now. "Nathan has been giving me-"

Molly lifted a quizzical brow at the tall man before her. "Hmm," she mused, her head tilting slightly. "You know, for being the new guy, you're pretty buddy buddy with the boss."

Uncrossing her arms, she placed her hands at her hips. "I had to wait two years before he even let me call him just boss, let alone Nathan," she said, sounding like she was talking to herself more than to her new partner. "Strange how your in his company for a week, and your already on a first name basis."

Clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, she gave the older man a quick look over. Her eyes flashed over his tall frame, before locking with his eyes. "Tell me Shields, what makes you so special?"

She watched with great deal of satisfaction, as the man before her cursed beneath his breath. He quickly turned on his heals and stalked off, his anger evident with each step.

"That's what I thought," she said beneath her breath. Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed in a familiar number.

I should have done this a long time ago, she thought in slight agitation.

The phone rang three times, before a familiar voice picked up. "All right Nathan," she said, before the other man could get an edge wise. "I am one pissed off red haired woman. Your lackey has screwed up, now you tell me where the hell my best friend is, or I swear I'll rip Shields to shreds to find out what I want."

Molly gripped the phone tightly to her ear, as people passed her. Most gave her strange looks, which she only returned with a nasty glare. She was not in the mood to be nice anymore.

"Don't play innocent with me!" she shouted, her voice sounding shrill. "I have been on my feet for six weeks. Shields has been dragging me from one city to the next and I know your feeding him bullshit information.

"You either tell me where I need to go, or you'll never see hot stuff again," Molly ended dangerously. She meant every word she said.

She started walking, moving in the direction her new partner had gone off in. "Don't play games with me," she hissed, her resolve quickly breaking. "Nathan," she started, but stopped when someone had stepped into her path.

Looking up, the small red haired woman gasped.

"Look Molly," the tall brunette began, his violet eyes holding hers. "I'm not lying, I don't know where she is."

Molly felt her anger flicker and then die. Her whole body quivered, her hand trembling, as she slowly pulled her phone from her ear.

The man before her reached out, to take her phone, and pocket it.

It was always easier to stay mad at him when he wasn't around. Yelling at him on the phone had always been a cinch compared to yelling at him in person. Because in person, her body became Jell-O and she easily forgot what had upset her in the first place.

The corner of his mouth lifted, as he took her arm and directed her down the street. "Why don't we find a place to sit down and eat. Afterwards, I will tell you everything I know," he offered casually.

The small woman next to him nodded, her feet moving on their own accord. "O-okay Nathan," she replied, as he lead her away from her troubled thoughts and her worries towards her friend's safety.

In his company, things never seemed to ever be wrong. With a foolish smile on her face, she let the man steer her in whatever direction he chose, not really caring where their destination might be.

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Well I hope this chapter cleared a few things up. Tied up a few loose ends maybe? I hope so. There's only a few chapters left, so enjoy.

LP


	20. Chapter twenty

Chapter twenty:

Findings

"So he knew all along," the woman said mostly to herself, then to the servant bowed before her. Self-consciously, she reached up to finger the golden choker she wore around her neck.

The golden armor she wore on her arms clanked together with each movement she made. The sound didn't bother her, as her fingers toyed the golden spike protruding from the choker.

With her other golden clad arm, she brushed back the white cape with a burgundy lining, that clung to her left shoulder. She reached out for the clear glass filled with red wine. She held the fragile neck between her fingers and drank the cool liquid.

Casually she crossed her legs, the sound of the armor echoing about the bare room. Besides herself and the servant, there was only the screen displayed before them.

"Yes my lady," the woman who was kneeled before her said. She was a lovely woman, one of the fairest of their kind.

Jagara set her glass back down and slowly stood from where she had been seated. She was very displeased with the information given to her. "And you are sure?" she asked, her eyes falling onto the raven haired woman.

The servant nodded from her position. "Yes my lady," she repeated, her voice smooth as silk. "Kunzite, and the others knew when they first had the guardian."

Her pale lips thinned in a line of contempt. So her servants were turning against her. _ How despicable_, she said to herself. Eyes hidden behind the golden helm she wore, narrowed.

Stepping around the kneeling servant, Jagara walked towards the screen. It was gathered information on the halfling she had run into at Darcia's castle.

Jagara crossed her arms, her head tilting back slightly. "They knew of her all this time," she said, her anger slipping into her voice. She was very upset by this news. Her most loyal servants had betrayed her.

"Very well," she said acidly. "You may go Tetis, until I call for you." the servant stood and left the room.

Now alone, Jagara stepped back from the display. Her hands formed fists at her sides as she continued to stare at the information printing on the screen.

Serena O'Donnell, she mused, _the guardian of the Flower Maiden_.

Turning from the display, her eyes narrowed as she took in the open sky outside her ship. She was returning home, after being sent out on a wild goose chase.

Kunzite, she hissed, her lips curling into a snarl. _Betrayer_… _Despicable liar._

"You will pay for deceiving me," she snarled, her anger rising with each word. "You and your family will die by my hands."

----

After getting dressed, Serena came to the decision to not wait for Jadeite to come for her.

Moving away from the full length mirror, Serena checked the band that held her once more long blonde hair. Instead of a braid, she had gone with a low ponytail. It took less time to do and was just as practical.

Ready, she walked towards the door and tried to leave the room. To her surprise the door opened.

Serene slipped out of the room she had slept in and shut the door silently behind her. Quietly, she walked along the hallway, her bare feet making hardly any nose on the cold floor. There wasn't much to look at. Plain walls and plain marble floors. There wasn't any decoration, no accessories of any sorts.

She passed several doors, finding no interest in them, until she reached a set of double doors. Pulling them open, she peered into the spacious looking room.

It was quite large and very empty looking. Her eyes narrowed on the object that sat in the middle of the room. Holding her breath, Serena entered and shut the door quietly behind her.

She didn't have to see, to know who was inside the glass dome. Serena moved towards the glass that was held suspended in the air. The closer she got, the more she could make out the form being held within.

Serena closed her eyes briefly, not really wanting to see what she was about to. When she opened her eyes again, she stood before the dome. Silently, she turned towards it and forced herself to look.

"Cheza," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

Blinking harshly, she forced the tears to dissipate and hardened her gaze upon the girl lying in the green liquid. Her arms were stretched out at her sides, chained to the inside of the glass.

Serena felt her hands tighten at her sides, forming fists. "Cheza," she said a little louder, her voice sounding fierce.

A large crack rippled across the glass' surface.

"You should have waited for me," a voice said from behind her.

Serena turned her head and found Jadeite standing there. The young man was dressed elegantly, in a pair of black pants and a red silk shirt. He moved closer, taking a place right behind her.

"Beautiful, isn't she," he asked, as if he were talking about a wild flower he had just picked.

Turning away, she turned her eyes to the girl who appeared to be unconscious. She looked like a fragile child, locked away as if she were a wild beast. "She isn't some prize to be gawked at," Serena argued fiercely, even though she was doing just that. "She shouldn't be locked up just to serve your purposes. She's a living person."

Jadeite chuckled, his expression rueful. "But she's the key to paradise," he explained.

She glowered at his reflection through the glass. "I don't care!" she shouted at him. Another crack formed in the glass, creating a spider like web designs across its surface.

Serena could make out his smirk, despite all the cracks. "For knowing the girl for only a month, you sure are protective of her," he said with amusement.

"Of course I am," she said tersely. "She's being treated like a rope in a tug of war game." Looking away from his reflection, she stared up at the girl. "And I refuse to let you use her."

Lifting her hand, Serena pressed her palm against the glass. The soft pressure was enough and the glass shattered. A shield formed in front of her, protecting her and the man who stood behind her.

She ignored the liquid that rushed from the dome, spilling into the room around her. Her mind was focused solely on the girl in front of her.

"What will happen to her, if Jagara gets what she wants," she asked.

Jadeite shifted uncomfortable, as if not wanting to answer the question. Turning from the girl, Serena looked at him finally.

The tall blond sighed, his hand reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. "Her only purpose is to open the way to paradise," he said. The empty answer he gave her, was enough though.

If Jagara went to Paradise, then Cheza wouldn't have a reason to exist.

She would probably wilt and die.

Serena turned away, her gaze lifting to the child who hung in the air, green liquid dripping from her shivering form.

I wont let that happen, she vowed silently.

----

"Her scent is strong here," commented the young wolf who had flanked his side every step of the way.

Kiba looked over at the black wolf, who was much smaller and slender than himself. Absently he nodded, before looking towards the city in front of them. He sniffed at the air, catching the faint trail.

This was where everyone had been heading and in the end he found himself here as well.

The others should be here, somewhere, he said to himself. They had gone ahead of him looking for Cheza. The others would be somewhere in the city waiting for him to arrive.

Getting in was going to prove to be difficult.

"What are we standing around here for," the wolf behind him snapped. She had been like that the whole trip.

"That's enough Mars," the oldest of them all, ordered softly. "We need to find a way in." He nodded, stepping ahead of the three wolves who had agreed to come with him.

He knew why they were here. Serena had taken them in, had showed them kindness unlike anyone else. After he had told them about her kidnapping, they had decided to tag along to help.

__

Serena, he whispered, his mind wandering to the last time he had seen her. It had been so long, nearly a full cycle of the moon, since he had been with her last.

Kiba sat down, his long muzzle lifting to the sky.

"What is he-" started the irritated wolf, but was cut off by her older sister. "That is enough Mars. Leave him be. Let us look for a way in. Saturn stay close," Pluto ordered softly. Dark red eyes moved from one to the other, before she turned to round the large stone wall that kept them from entering the city.

He listened in silence as the three wolves split up to search for a way in. Saturn, the youngest stuck close, but still at a distance.

Lowering his head again, Kiba laid down in the dirt, finally letting the knowledge of Serena's departure settle around him. _Taken_, he thought with a growl. _Taken from me_.

She had said she would go to paradise with him. With him.

Closing his eyes, he snorted, the pain in his chest increasing. That Noble had said Serena wouldn't be able to go. But she was wrong. _Serena made it here_, he said. _She's traveled this far._

Opening his eyes again, he sluggishly climbed to his feet. He had to find her. _Even if it means I don't go to paradise_, he thought with conviction. _But she's a Noble_, a part of his mind argued.

A Noble.

But she never acted like any Noble he had ever met. She didn't even know of Cheza when he had first asked her to come to Paradise with him.

An abomination, he mused to himself. _That woman had said that._

He had considered doing what the woman had said. To find Cheza, and find paradise. But the thought had only lingered for a moment. He had sat in that clearing staring at the spot the ship had once was, for most of the day.

He had stayed until her scent had disappeared completely. And that was when he felt the loss. No matter what Serena was, he wasn't going to let her go.

A melodious howl echoed around him. Lifting his head, he looked in the direction it had come from. Mars, and Saturn joined him.

"Sister has found a way in," Saturn howled, her nose lifting to send a reply to her older sister. The three of them ran in the direction the cry had come from.

The slender black wolf stood near a hole that led through the wall. Large pipes protruded from the mouth of the hole, leading over an edge that led to a lake below.

"The cities' waste," Pluto explained, before running ahead.

Kiba nodded and followed close behind her. Mars and Saturn raced in together right behind them. Together, the four of them broke into the city that held Serena and the Flower Maiden captive.

"We need to find the others," he called out, as they followed the large gray pipes. "Then we will go to the castle and rescue Serena."

The three wolves, who had chosen to follow him here howled their agreements. But when they entered the city, it wasn't four wolves, but four humans, who joined the throng of citizens who walked the streets.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I bet you guys are curious as to what happened to me… well the truth is, I couldn't find even the slightest moment this last week to even update. Between juggling a job, college, and drama, is wearing me out. Then I had to go and catch the flu that is going around.

I don't feel all that great, but I called in sick to work, so I did find time to update. Sorry about the wait.

LP


	21. Chapter twentyone

Chapter twenty-one:

Settling of Scores

Haruka shivered, despite the heat the sun gave her. Frowning, she lifted her gaze towards the sky. Her hand came up to shield the rays of the sun, but there was nothing to hint towards what she felt.

"Is something wrong love," the woman next to her asked.

Looking away from the bright blue sky, Haruka glanced down at the slender woman who stood next to her. They had been together all day so far and it was nearly evening. "No Michelle," she said at last. She moved her blue eyes towards the glass window her lover had stopped to look into.

"Something catch your eyes?" she asked, hoping to distract the woman.

Michelle gave her another quizzical look, her teal colored eyes telling her she knew something was up, but didn't ask again. Instead the shorter woman looked into the glass window.

A small smile formed on the tall woman's face, as she watched the woman she loved. Michelle had wanted her to take her shopping. And only for her, would she bare the long ours of mingling with humans.

The only human she cared for, pulled away from the window and turned around to look at her. Soft sea green hair fell in waves, touching her slender shoulders. "What do you think, Haruka?" she asked. She was always asking for her preference. Even for the simple things.

Haruka shook her head and finally looked at the item that had caught her partner's eyes. It was a simple but delicate looking hand mirror.

Closing her eyes briefly, Haruka had to wonder about the woman who stood a head shorter than herself. Haruka would never use a hand mirror, so she had no right to say if she liked it or not.

With a small sigh, she opened her eyes to look at the pale skinned woman she had fallen in love with by accident. She had never liked humans, found them repulsive more than most of the time.

They dirtied the planet with their filth and expect others to save it from themselves. She never went where human's flocked. Cities disgusted her. The litter, the homeless, and the pollution revolted her.

But during one of her many spats with her twin, had driven her out of the home she shared with her brothers. And reluctantly she had gone into the city seeking a drink of something strong. Instead, she found herself in another woman's arms.

Haruka smiled at the memory. "Lovely," she commented, referring to the mirror, even though she stared down at the woman dressed in a light rose colored dress.

Michelle had shown her that not every human was bad. Michelle had shown her the beauty of their world, just when she had thought it was all gone. Before she had met Michelle, she wanted nothing more than to find paradise.

But with Michelle, she had already found it.

"You think so," the younger woman asked, as she turned to look back at the well crafted mirror.

"Yes," Haruka agreed wholeheartedly. "Lets go in." Before, she had despised going to cities, going where humans and wolves dwelled. But if Michelle was waiting for her, she would go.

She wrapped an arm around her love's bare shoulders and lead her towards the shop's doors. Absently she stroked Michelle's shoulder blade, her fingers grazing across bare skin.

And despite the heat, she shivered again, as if someone had tossed a bucket of cold water on her. It sent a chill running down along her spine, causing her toes to curl.

Why do I feel like something horrible is going to happen, she wondered to herself, as Michelle picked up the hand mirror and showed it to her.

The reflection she saw, wasn't one of her own. No, instead she saw her brother's face.

----

Hige lifted his head, his brows drawing together. With a grunt he shuffled the weight that pressed into his back. Glancing over his shoulder, Hige eyed the others who followed him.

"Can you guys smell that?" he asked. He turned back and sniffed again, catching the same scent.

Toboe raced ahead of him with a howl. "Its Kiba!" he shouted, running. Hige grinned, and raced after the boy. Tsume followed quickly behind him. The three boys ran through the streets of the city seeking the scent that filled the air.

They were running down the sidewalk of one street, when the scent lifted higher than their heads. The group slid to a stop, their heads lifting as if searching.

"He's here, right Hige," Toboe asked hopefully. Hige couldn't tell if Kiba was still in the city, or if what he smelled was just a remnants of the white wolf's passing.

He didn't bother to check if anyone was watching before he leaped into the air. With great agility, he managed to land on the room. The other's followed his movements, landing on the roof next to him.

"Kiba!" Toboe cried with relief. The boy who had been speaking with three women turned. Unlike Toboe, Kiba hardly expressed what he felt. All that he showed, was a small smile.

"Hey," he said quietly, his eyes softening for a brief moment, before they darkened. "They're here," he added. "Can you tell?"

Hige didn't pause to think of who the white wolf meant. "Yes," he said, gently laying his burden on the roof. "I could smell the flowers as soon as she arrived."

Toboe nodded, his eyes betraying the worry he felt. "Serena's here too," he said, his voice thick with grief. "Do you think she's there." the small boy pointed towards the castle.

"Kiba, is this your pack," a feminine voice asked from behind Kiba.

The white wolf turned to look behind him.

Hige got his first good look at the three women. _Wolves_, he thought in wonder. He was surprised. There were so very few females left.

The tallest woman looked at him, her dark lips lifting into a small smile. Kiba looked at them, his blue eyes taking their time to look at the three of them.

Toboe grinned, stepping forward. "Of course we are," he said, answering the question for the white wolf.

Nodding, Hige added his agreement. They were a pack, an odd one, but they were one. The real surprise, was when Tsume shook his head with a chuckle. "If you must know," he said with amusement, his amber eyes flashing. "We're friends."

Both Hige and Toboe turned to the older wolf, surprise written on their faces. "Do you mean that," Toboe asked, sounding hopeful.

The silver haired man nodded, his smile small and hesitant.

Kiba nodded, and turned to the women. "We need to get moving. Serena and Cheza are in that castle."

The shorter girl nodded, her expression filled with worry. "Lets rescue them," she said. The one in the middle flipped her hair off her shoulder. "And repay a friend," she said hotly, violet eyes flashing. The oldest nodded. "Mars and Saturn are right," she said softly. "Lead the way Kiba."

Hige looked at the white wolf then. Kiba was staring at the castle with a troubled look on his face. "Are we ready," he asked.

Collective of yeses answered him. "All right then, lets go."

Kiba leaped from the roof, landing on the building next to the one they were on. As the others chased after the white wolf, Hige picked Blue back up.

He was the last one to make the jump, landing gracefully on the next building. He ran, joining the others as they leaped to another roof.

Their destination… Jagara's castle.

----

Serena never felt so compelled to move more, than she did at that moment. _What's wrong_, she wondered.

Before she could act, her ears were filled with a sharp whistling sound. Next to her, Jadeite cried out, his eyes widening. Alarmed, Serena turned to him and she felt her stomach lurch in disgust.

Tears watered her vision, but it didn't cloud it from the dagger that was embedded in the young man's back. "Jadeite," she whispered hoarsely. Emotions jumbled within her, making it hard for her to think clearly.

What happened, she wondered meekly, wishing that she had acted when she could have.

The blond haired Noble staggered forward. With a cry, Serena grabbed him, her arms circling around him to hold him up. His weight fell on her all at once, his legs unable to hold himself up. "Jadeite, no," she pleaded tearfully.

He looked at her sadly, his eyes glazed with tears. When he opened his mouth to speak, blood trickled over his bottom lip. A choked sob escaped her, as her knees buckled from the extra weight. She fell to the floor, the young Noble landing on her.

Instead of shoving the burden that pressed down on her, she tightened her hold around his waist. His body was heavy, making it hard for her to breath, but she couldn't find the strength to let him go.

From over his shoulder, she could see the handle of the dagger. _Who_, she asked herself darkly, feeling a murderous rage well up inside her.

A laugh echoed through the spacious room, the voice sounding familiar.

With a grunt, Serena gently eased the man from her. With great care, she slipped out from beneath him. There was nothing she could do for him.

Serena climbed to her feet, her lips forming a frown. The figure who stood near the doors, was dressed in armor, a helmet covering her features.

"Jagara," she hissed, her eyes narrowing in hatred.

The woman laughed aloud, her voice echoing around the room. She moved forward, her steps light and slow, as if she was in no hurry to reach Serena.

Fists clenching, Serena struggled to keep herself from screaming with frustration.

"The little traitor deserved to die," Jagara said to her. "He didn't bother to tell me he had you here."

Absently, Jagara fingered the sword she wore at her hip. "Like him, his siblings will follow," she said casually, dark lips forming a sinister smile. "No one defies me."

Serena fought to keep up the glare, but her expression wobbled as she thought of Jadeite. He wasn't a bad person and yet he was killed so heartlessly.

Jagara then withdrew her sword. "You are such a pain," she said coldly. "This world would just be better off without your kind."

She drew in a startled gasp, when Jagara lunged forward, bringing her sword down in an arch. With a muffled cry, Serena dove out of the way, narrowly missing being hit.

Serena didn't have a moment to catch her breath. As soon as she hit the floor, she rolled to her hands and knees and scrambled forward. The sharp clang of the sword hitting the floor had Serena leaping to her feet.

Spinning around, the blonde threw up her hands, as Jagara sliced the sharp blade at her.

The other woman cried out, as the sword slammed into the thin sheet of Serena's shield. The force of the blow repelled and knocked the older woman off her feet. Jagara landed several feet away, her sword still clutched tightly in her hand.

"You bitch," the woman cursed. Jagara struggled to her feet, her knees shaking slightly. "You've learned how to use your powers."

Serena lowered her arms and she stared at the other woman. "Kunzite said I was protected by a law," she said carefully, her eyes watching the other woman.

Jagara adjusted her grip on the sword. "You are," she said.

"It seems you have lost your mind," another voice filled in. Startled, both women looked towards the doors. A man dressed in black robes stood there.

Shaking her head, Serena asked, "Darcia?" What was he doing here?

"Jagara had Oakum killed," he said as he slowly entered the room. "But since she had her men kill him, she went unpunished."

"Oakum," the blonde asked, remembering the name from her mother's stories. "He was the Noble who killed my father?"

Darcia nodded, but instead of speaking to her, he turned towards Jagara. "You killed Jadeite," he said quietly. "You're going to make a lot of enemies."

Serena shook her head again, confused by the man's sudden appearance, and that he wasn't doing anything. _Wouldn't it have been smart to call the police_, she thought in annoyance.

But it was clear the man hadn't even bothered to call for help.

Jagara scowled at the other Noble. "You stay out of this Darcia," she sneered. "Or you'll be in the way of what I seek."

Serena shivered at those words. Darcia had said nearly the same thing. She was in his way, just as she was in Jagara's way.

Without warning, the women turned and rushed her. Serena jerked with surprise, but managed at the last second to dive out of the way. She landed in a pile of broken class.

She whimpered when the fragments sliced her skin, several small ones sticking. Wincing, Serena managed to roll to her hands and knees. Her right hand closed around a rather large piece of broken glass. The sharp edges bit into her palm drawing blood.

Serena drew in a sharp breath, tears filling her eyes at the pain all her knew cuts made. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to get to her feet. Carefully she turned, taking care to avoid cutting her feet.

Jagara lunged for her again, but this time, Serena ducked away from the arch of the blade and swung her arms forward.

Jagara gasped, when Serena landed two hits on her. "Y-you," she stammered, as she stumbled back, her hand dropping the sword. It clattered to the floor, the sound echoing in the large room.

With her chest rising and falling in an unsteady rhythm, Serena eyed the woman who stood only a foot away from her. A tapping sound, drew her gaze down though. Slowly, Serena lowered her eyes to where the woman clutched her middle.

Red blossomed from Jagara's middle. As hard as the woman clutched her belly, it did nothing to hide the blood that flowed from the gash Serena had made.

Reluctantly, Jagara lifted her hands, hidden eyes staring at the blood that covered her hands. "I cant believe-" she murmured, but was cut off when a drop of blood dripped from her chin to land in the pool she cupped in her hands.

Jagara's hands shook as she lifted them towards her helmet. She wrenched the golden helm from her head.

Serena stared at the woman, who had finally revealed herself. Blood red hair that fell to her hips in length matched the blood that marred her cheek. Another gash Serena had managed to get.

Amber eyes lifted from her hands to look at Serena. Confusion and surprise was all that the young blonde could see. Jagara shook her head, her eyes narrowing with hate. "You cut my face," she hissed with rage.

Stumbling back, Serena winced when her foot stepped down on a sharp piece of glass. She made the mistake by looking down. Her jaw clenched at the pain as she lifted her foot.

"Well done Serena," Darcia said, startling her from her inspection of her own health.

Serena lifted her eyes, her movements slow, and feeble. She was barely able to draw in a breath to scream, before the man moved. Like that time in his castle, his movements blurred.

Darcia bolted forward, his hand swooping down to grab the fallen sword. In one swift jab he rammed the tip of the sword through Jagara's stomach.

"No!" Serena screamed, her eyes widening in her shock.

"That's for killing Harmona," Darcia spat, wrenching the sword from the woman's middle.

Jagara's mouth opened, but all she managed to do was gurgle the blood that had already collected. The woman's eyes glazed over, as she fell to her knees. She hardly wavered before she fell forward, landing in a pool of her own blood.

"Oh my god," Serena whispered. "How could you?"

"You should be happy," he replied. "I helped you didn't I? Now you can go back to your life."

Serena shook her head, tears spilling from her eyes as she stared at Jagara's form. "No more Nobles, no more wolves and no more Flower Maiden," he finished.

Frowning Serena lifted her eyes. She'd spent nearly two months in the company of wolves, and Nobles. She'd also spent a considerable amount of time with Cheza. _No more wolves, _she wondered softly. _Kiba_…

No more Flower Maiden, she echoed the man's words. _Cheza_

…

If she had never met Kiba, she wouldn't be here. She learned that long ago, but it never stopped her from looking for him. Never stopped her from protecting Cheza, or brining Blue along.

Serena looked back at the Flower Maiden. The girl's eyes were still closed and she hung from the chains that wrapped around her wrists. _I can't leave her like this_, Serena thought fiercely. _I can't leave her with a life like the one she has._

Turning, Serena directed her gaze towards Darcia. But the man was already moving. "No one will ever find paradise," he said savagely. He lifted his sword as he moved.

The man's body blurred, his movements unreadable, like the times before. But unlike those times, Serena acted upon the urge to move.

This time she didn't hesitate.

"I wont let you hurt her," she growled, lunging forward. Her arm swiped out in a curve, the glass cutting through the man's robes and hitting skin.

Darcia faulted, his hand releasing the sword.

With wide eyes, he looked down at his middle, only to find Serena's shard of glass embedded deep in his stomach. "It's my duty to protect her," Serena said, even though she was crying. "I cant let you, or anyone else hurt her anymore."

The Noble stumbled backwards, before he fell hard onto his rear. One blue eye and one gold stared at her in surprise. Like Jagara he was surprised to find that she had attacked him.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Serena crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling sick to her stomach. Twice she had hurt another being.

Biting down hard on her bottom lip, she turned away from the injured man. Slowly she stepped over the glass, her body numb with pain. She reached Cheza after a few clumsy steps.

A control panel that was in front of the chained girl, had Serena searching for a way to release her. She found a button and pressed it carefully. The chains released her, and the Flower Maiden fell forward.

Moving forward, Serena managed to break her fall, but the weight drug her to the ground. "Its okay Cheza," she said, trying to coax the girl awake.

Red eyes opened, revealing a sad expression. "Serena," the girl whispered. "Serena protected this one?"

Serena nodded her head, letting the girl pull away to stand. Grudgingly, the blonde climbed to her feet as well. "Lets go home," Serena said with a faint smile.

Taking Cheza's hand in hers, Serena pulled the girl towards the doors. They had to pass Jadeite, Darcia and Jagara to get there. But all three were gone, leaving only Cheza and herself alone.


	22. Chapter twentytwo

Chapter twenty-two:

No Place Like Home

Kiba stopped, feeling his heart pounding against his ribcage. The stench of blood was thick.

With a great deal of reluctance, he pushed the doors open. The relief he felt was so overwhelming, that he stumbled back towards the door. _Not hers_, he thought. _Its not hers_.

His eyes searched the open room. The tank that once held Cheza laid in pieces. Three bodies surrounded in pools of blood laid before the remains of the tank.

But there were no traces of Serena or Cheza. He could still smell them, their scent strong as the blood, but they were gone.

"She's not here," Saturn said, her eyes searching the room. "Where did they go?"

"Home," a voice said from somewhere in the room.

The group of wolves tensed, their backs arching to form a ready stance. "I haven't come here to fight wolves," the voice continued. From the far shadows of the room, a rather tall looking man stepped forward. "Serena fought for me."

Kiba growled, recognizing the man from the ship that had kidnapped Serena weeks before.

The Noble hardly paid him a glance, but instead kneeled down before one of the bodies. "This is all my fault," he whispered, as he gathered his brother's body close to his. "I could have change things long before they got out of hand.

"But like all the others, I used her."

Gingerly, the man stood, cradling the smaller body close to his. "Haruka knows something has happened," he continued saying, as if there weren't wolves witnessing his crumbling façade. "I must take my brother home to be buried."

Kiba shifted, letting his wolf form dissolve into his human one. "Why did she leave," he asked the stranger. Deep inside his chest, the already tight knot twisted harshly.

The other man lifted his head to look at them now. "She went back to where she belongs, Kiba," he said softly. "Cheza is with her, if you still seek out to find paradise."

With a menacing growl, Kiba threw out his right arm. "I don't care about paradise," he snapped, his eyes glowing yellow.

The Noble chuckled, as he shook his head. "Tell me wolf, where do you belong?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Do you belong in paradise, the place you have been searching for, your whole life?"

He didn't hesitate, because he had realized long ago that he had stopped looking for paradise. These last few weeks had been filled with searching for something else. For someone else.

"No," he replied, creating confusion from the others behind him.

The man nodded, his arms tightening around the form he held. "It appears you have learned something," he said once he reached Kiba. "It doesn't take much to create Paradise. The place only exists in being where you belong."

Kiba nodded, knowing what the man meant.

"Come wolf," the Noble said. "I'll take you home."

----

"Thank you Zoicite," Serena told the Noble. When she had left Jagara's castle, she had instantly run into Kunzite and Zoicite. Zoicite had been more than happy to take her home.

The young Noble smiled sheepishly. "It wasn't a bother," he replied. They stood outside her apartment door.

Serena collected the spare key from under her rug and pushed the door open. "Go on in Cheza," she said, allowing the flower maiden to go in first.

"You're going to be okay, right," she asked, looking at him. Zoicite sighed carefully, his hand reaching up to fiddle with his long ponytail. "Yea," he said reassuringly. "I'll need to tell the others…"

Nodding, Serena stepped into her apartment. "Again, thank you."

Zoicite shrugged, his right had lifting into a wave. "I'll be seeing you," he said as he turned and walked away.

Serena watched him, knowing that what he said was what he meant. She had been watched her whole life. Why would they stop now?

With a small sigh, Serena closed her front door. As she made her way towards her bathroom, she stripped from her clothes.

At the bathroom door she looked into her bedroom and found Cheza lying on her bed. _Good_, she thought.

Serena stepped into her bathroom and started up the shower. As steam filled the small room, she slipped out of her undergarments. Clothes Zoicite had given her for her trip home.

A ride that had taken hardly two weeks.

Pulling the curtain aside, she climbed into the shower. It was strange. Most of the cuts the glass had made had already begun to heal. Only small scratches seemed to be left. The worst was the one in her hand.

Serena looked at that hand as she stood beneath the spray.

When Kunzite and Zoicite had found her, she had been a bloody mess. Glass had done a number on her body, but now there was hardly anything.

Sighing heavily, Serena washed her hair and her body, something she hadn't done for so long. She cleaned and scrubbed in places she never thought of.

An hour later and cold water spraying, Serena turned the shower off. She pulled the curtain back and grabbed her towel. She quickly dried, before leaving the room.

Quietly, she walked into her bedroom and dressed into her pajamas. After she was dressed, she took her brush and quickly worked it through the tangles. When she finished, she braided her hair before lying down in bed. Cheza slept on one side of the bed, so Serena pulled back the covers on the other side.

She slipped in between the sheets and laid her head down on her pillow. _I didn't realize how much I missed my bed_, she thought to herself.

For the past two months Serena had slept on the floor, in motels, and in a duplicate of her own room. But nothing was like her own bed. Not even the one Kunzite had made for her.

This is my home, she said as she buried her face into the soft pillow. It smelled of the soap she used to wash them before she left. Her blanket smelled of Kiba. Serena had been unable to wash the comforter, afraid she would loose his memory forever.

Serena closed her eyes, her body snuggling beneath the covers. _I'm home_, she thought sleepily. _I'm finally home._

----

Serena O'Donnell woke to the sound of her alarm clock blaring. Yawning, she rolled over and buried her head beneath her pillow.

The clock continued to shrill. Then suddenly two hands grabbed her, and with such a force shook her back and forth on her bed.

"This one awake!" Cheza said aloud, her voice loud enough to mute the alarm sounding next to Serena's head.

With a groan Serena got out of bed. "All right, all right," she grumbled beneath her breath. Her arms lifted into a stretch, as she yawned again.

Turning back to her alarm clock, Serena blinked. _It's six in the morning?_ What the heck was she doing up, she wondered.

Rubbing her eyes, Serena left her room to go to her living room. Rounding her couch, she entered her kitchen. Every clock she looked at said the same time. Frowning, Serena went back into the living room.

She found the remote and switched on the news. Serena searched the screen for the time. Six o' five blared at her. Shaking her head, she looked for the date.

It took her a second before she realized what she was staring at.

Her eyes widened when she realized it was August 1st. "Oh no, I'm going to be late for work!" she cried. Running from the living room, she ran passed Cheza to enter her room. Tearing through her things, she tugged out a clean outfit.

Serena pulled off her pajamas and quickly dressed in clean underwear and tugged on nylons. Next she pulled on a jean skirt, and managed to slip on the white blouse in ten minutes.

Glancing at her alarm clock, a disgruntled sound escaped her. She ran out of her bedroom to go to her bathroom. Serena stared at her haggard form. "Oh god, I've died and gone to hell," she moaned.

Tugging loose her braid she reached for her brush. She worked out the fresh tangles of her long hair. Pausing to look at her reflection, she came to a quick decision. Serena parted her hair down the middle. With each side she tied them into twin buns, with pigtails trailing down towards her calves.

Like old times, she mused. Not only was she going to be late, but she was going to miss out eating breakfast, and making her lunch. "Just like high school," she said with a pitiful laugh.

Turning, Serena ran from the bathroom to go back into her bedroom. She found a pair of sneakers to wear and slipped them on her feet.

Okay ready, she thought, and ran from her room.

She entered her living room and found Cheza staring at her Television screen. _What am I supposed to do with her_, she wondered. Serena grabbed for her coat that hung near her door. "Cheza, its time to go," she said.

The girl sitting on the couch got to her feet and joined Serena near the door.

Before leaving, Serena turned the TV off. Outside her apartment, she locked the door. Together the two made their way down to the sidewalk below.

"Where does this one go?" the girl asked.

Serena smiled, as the two of them walked quickly to her work place. "You're coming to work with me," she explained.

"This one go with Serena," the girl asked. Serena nodded, and taking off her coat, pulled it on over Cheza's shoulders. "We'll need to go shopping afterwards," she said mostly to herself. "Get you some clothes…"

"Miss O'Donnell," the doorman asked when she and Cheza reached the building of her job.

Looking up, Serena smile at the older gentleman. "Its good to see you Sam," she greeted warmly. The man moved to open the door for her. "Thanks," she added as they walked through, heading for the elevator.

She pressed the button, only to have the doors open automatically. Stepping inside, she pulled Cheza in with her. "Its okay," she said to reassure the other girl.

----

Nathan Ferelith stood in the doorframe of his office. Never in his entire life did he feel this nervous. As seven o'clock came around the prickling sense of fear crept up on him.

It was August 1st, the day Serena O'Donnell was due back to work. But it seemed like she was either going to be late or not show up at all. He feared the later.

Since he hadn't heard anything about the young blonde, the last two weeks had turned his life into hell.

Reaching up, Nathan scratch at the beard he had neglected to shave the last couple of days. He was getting too old for this. _Where is she_, he wondered. His eyes darted back to the date on his computer. It said it was August 1st. His eyes fell to his watch. Seven ten. _Why isn't she here?_

He wasn't the only one tensed either. Violet eyes lifted to the cubicles that filled the work place. Molly Gem sat at her desk, her eyes glued to the door of the elevator. With her hands poised over the keys of her computer she wasn't getting anything done.

But he couldn't blame her. The young woman was positively worried about her friend. Serena O'Donnell had come to mean so much to everyone who worked on the paper.

Dragging his eyes away from the red haired woman, he looked at the rest of the room. Everyone was sneaking glances at the elevator. Everyone was hoping to see the familiar face appear.

A sound alerted him.

A small gasp, had his gaze moving quickly, but the sight of the steel doors sliding open had his heart lurching roughly in his chest.

He hadn't realized until then how wound up he was. Since the moment he had heard of her disappearance, the strain had begun to build and build. And even though he had told Molly that Serena was safe, inside he really wondered if that was true.

So he wasn't all that surprise when he begged and pleaded with everything he had, to have whoever that was on the elevator be Serena.

"Come on, I'm late as it is," a familiar voice said.

Molly had he chair shoved back so quickly that it knocked into the neighboring cubicle. She rounded the tall wall, her eyes trained on the open doors.

It seemed like the doors were going to close on them, when a small hand darted out to catch them. Then to everyone's surprise, two people came out.

At first Nathan didn't recognize either of them. But then the girl lifted her eyes, a pair of bright blue eyes in his direction. Unlike the last time he saw her, Nathan found himself staring at a completely different Serena. And it didn't have all that much to do with the girl's new attire.

Her hair was longer, and she did wear a style he hadn't seen on her since high school… But there was something different about her, that knocked him for a loop.

"Serena!" Molly cried out, and threw herself at the smaller blonde. The usually cocky red haired woman was reduced to tears in seconds at the sight of her best friend. A friend no one ever expected to see again.

"Molly?" Serena asked in surprise, her eyes blinking. Confusion, and then worry crossed her features.

Without meaning to, Nathan found himself crossing the office space to reach the pair.

"What's wrong Molly," the small blonde asked, her concern showing through her voice.

"You came back!" the red haired woman sobbed. "I thought I would never see you again!" the small woman's shoulders were racked with sobs, as she clung to her friend.

Nathan felt his heart lurch painfully in his chest.

"When I saw you go down that elevator, I really thought that you were saying goodbye. And that… that was it!" the woman continued to cry. "How could you do that to me!"

Suddenly Molly jerked herself away from her friend. "The next time you decide to up disappear use your god damn cell phone!"

The startled look on Serena's face brought a smile to his face. "Now is that any kind of welcome, you should be given to your friend who was missing for two months, Molly," he asked softly. The short red haired woman whirled on him, her green eyes blazing. "Don't give me that Nathan," she growled. "I was worried sick for two months, and I haven't had one decent night sleep!"

Nathan found himself lifting a brow at that statement. To his amusement, Molly backed up a bit, a flush creeping up on her face. "Well err-" she stammered.

Serena looked from one and then to the other. From over Molly's shoulder, Nathan noticed the tiny smile she let slip onto her face.

"You're late," he commented wryly, finally taking his eyes off the fiery red head.

"Yea well, I got home late," came the reply. "Oh, and I have new roommate. This is Cheza."

Nathan looked at the girl who had came in with Serena. She was a small girl, but taller than Serena by at least an inch or so. Her hair was an uncommon lavender shade, while her eyes, were red, without even a hint of white at all. The girl who looked to be about sixteen, wore a full body suit which clung to her form, but was covered by a black jacket that reached about to her waist in length.

"Hello Cheza, I'm Nathan Ferelith," he introduced himself. Molly next to him reached up to wipe at the last trace of her tears. "Molly Gem."

Turning back to Serena, Nathan finally asked, "So are you ready to get back to work?"

Serena nodded, her hesitation brief. "Yes," she said, sounding like she wanted to add something more, but held it back.

As Nathan watched her, he realized that what he had seen earlier, was grief. The girl wore it like a second skin as she went to her cubicle to sit. While she was happy to be here, and seemed to be enjoying herself, a part of her seemed to fold up within itself. Hiding deep inside, where no one else could see.

I'm terribly sorry things had to happen this way, he said silently. _You should have never had to go through what you did._

And we tried so hard to make it that way…

----

Serena unlocked her front door after a long day of work and spending an hour at the mall. Carrying in bags filled with clothes, she allowed Cheza to enter, before she shut the door.

In the living room, Serena just dropped the bags that had weighed her down for the trip home. "I'll get you something to drink," she said tiredly.

She lead Cheza into the kitchen, and fixed the girl a glass of cold water. "Here." she handed the glass over, in which the girl drank from.

When the girl finished, she set the glass down and turned to look towards the living room. "Kiba," the girl said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Serena followed the girl's gaze. "I miss him to," she confided, tears filling her eyes. "Do you want to take a bath?" she asked hoping to distract them both from the memory of the white wolf.

"Bath?" the girl asked, turning to look at her.

"Yea, so that you can clean yourself up," Serena said, hoping to help the girl understand. "I'll go turn the water on…"

Leaving the kitchen, Serena passed through the living room. She walked down the hallway and entered the bathroom.

With a small sigh, she pulled off her shoes and set them aside. Rolling up her sleeves, she went to the tub. Serena started the water, adjusting the temp to the right warmth.

Plugging the drain, Serena waited a bit as the tub filled. Halfway full, she climbed to her feet. "Cheza!" she called. "You're water's ready!"

"This one full," came the reply. With another sigh, Serena said, "No you're bath is ready!"

When no reply came, and the girl didn't come into the room, Serena grumbled beneath her breath.

Turning around, she took a step towards the door.

But the person who stood there, kept her from leaving.

Drawing up short, Serena had the tingling sensation of Déjà vu. Tears formed in her eyes, as she dragged them up the jean clad boy who stood in her bathroom doorway. He lacked the thick gray jacket, but the white shirt was forever kept unbutton at the top.

Oh please don't let this be my imagination, she pleaded tearfully. Several tears slipped passed her defenses, rolling down her cheeks.

Closing her eyes, she allow a few more tears to fall, before the opened them again. The boy with unkempt brown hair still stood in her bathroom. His blue eyes held her in place.

"Kiba," she whispered hopefully. It was all he needed, before he crossed what little distance that had been in between them. "Serena," he replied roughly, pulling her into his arms.

With a tiny sob, her arms flung themselves around his neck. She clung to him, her sudden weight causing them to stumble. The pair fell backwards into the tub. Water splashed up over the side of the bathtub, hitting the tiled floor.

Kiba's arms tightened around the small girl beneath them. His mouth came down and claimed hers. Serena moaned, her fingers moving up along his neck only to entangle themselves in his thick hair.

His mouth slanted, and his tongue slipped passed her parted lips to claim what he called his. When he finally pulled away, he nibbled her bottom lip, before nuzzling her cheek.

"Kiba," Serena gasped, her body trembling beneath his. She held him close, his face buried in the crook of her neck. They laid like that till the bathwater began to overfill the tub and began to spill onto the floor.

Serena used her foot to shut the water off.

Lifting his head finally, Kiba stared down at her. "I found you," he whispered, his eyes flickering with emotions he seemed unwilling to let go. She felt his fingers dig into the cloth of her blouse, his hands gripping onto a handful.

"I cant believe you came," Serena said, her eyes searching his face. "Did you come all this way for Cheza?" the hurt that she felt, if that was the reason why he was there, seemed to reflect in her voice. Kiba growled, his body tightening its hold on her.

"As I told that Noble, I don't care about paradise," he admitted aloud. "I stopped searching for it a long time ago."

Confused, Serena drew her eyebrows together. "why? You wanted it so much," she said.

Kiba dipped his face forward to nuzzle her neck. He breathed in deeply, taking in the scent he had longed to smell after she had been taken away from him. "Because I already found it," he replied after pulling back to look at her. His eyes held hers for a full minute, before he added, "Paradise only exist in being where I belong."

Serena licked her dry lips, her eyes searching his for some hint. "Did you want to stay with me?" she asked, fearing he might reject her.

For the first time since he appeared in the room, mixed emotions crossed his face. In one swift movement, he had them up and out of the tub.

With a startled yelp, Serena clung to him, as he carried her from the bathroom, and into her bedroom. "Kiba," she gasped, when he shut the door to the room, and laid her down on the bed. "I'll only stay if you let me," he said, standing at the foot of the bed.

Serena bit her lip to hold back a sob. With jerky movements she nodded her head, tears clinging to her wet lashes.

With a growl, Kiba joined her on the bed. Leaning over her, he dipped in and nibbled on her lips.

Serena groaned, her heart slamming against her chest. When he pulled back, he helped her back to her feet. She felt helpless, as Kiba moved about her, slowly taking off all her clothes.

When he finished, having slid her nylons down her legs and off her feet, he stared at her. Heat crawled into her cheeks. Then, Kiba removed his own clothing.

Once undressed he didn't waste another moment. In one stride he reached her, and scooped her up into his arms before laying her down on the bed. He climbed in after her, so that they both laid on their sides his body spooning hers.

He nuzzled her neck with his face, again breathing in deep. Serena sighed, her body relaxing in his hold. She felt her eyes closing, her body ready to succumb to sleep.

But when his hand brushed across her stomach, her eyes flew open. Rolling onto her back, she turned her head to look at him. He was staring at her with a curious expression.

"Kiba, there's something I need to tell you," she said carefully. She braced herself, her body tensing for rejection. "I'm pregnant." at his confused stare, she added, "I'm going to have your baby."

She watched as his eyes widened, his mouth parting to utter a faint _oh_. She knew it was coming. He would either get up and walk away, or declare it wasn't his baby.

Then suddenly, his eyes softened and a small smile formed on his face. He leaned in to nibble on her neck. Serena broke into giggles, despite the serious situation they were in. "Kiba!" she gasped, trying to get him to stop.

He rolled over on top of her, his body completely covering hers. "I'm right where I belong," he said, holding her attention with his soft words. "You're my paradise."

Serena found herself smiling then, her arms moving to wrap themselves around his neck. "You want to have a baby?" she asked. Kiba's smile broadened, his eyes glinting mischievously. "No," he began, making Serena's eyes widen, before he finished what he wanted to say. "I want to have lots of babies."

The End


End file.
